About the College/Department
The Finance and Procurement teams play a crucial role in enabling the University to deliver on its strategic aims. This involves managing and maximising the University’s financial resources while providing expert financial advice and support to the wider University community. Our responsibilities encompass a wide range of essential functions, including providing strategic business partnering, delivering value from supplier relationships, managing effective working capital and cashflow, and providing key financial support for our students. Additionally, we oversee all aspects of payroll and pensions management, and deliver comprehensive support for financial systems, tax compliance, and audit needs. Through these activities, we provide assurance to the University community around the financial health and efficiency of the University, supporting its mission and operation.
About the Role
This role sits in the University’s centralised core Procurement team within Finance, which collectively supports a devolved purchasing activity at the Kedleston Road, Derby main campus and across two other campuses at Buxton and Chesterfield. The Assistant Category Specialist will work as part of the category-led strategic procurement function, supporting the procurement categories with a high annual spend, and supporting a robust, fit-for-purpose category management approach that embraces our core values, drives sustainable business practice and delivers best value to the University and our partners.
Key Responsibilities
The Assistant Category Specialist will conduct supply and market analysis, support and deliver tender activities, manage a small portfolio of preferred suppliers including supplier onboarding, resolve and escalated supplier issues, deliver category savings, input and support category sourcing strategies and projects, manage contract administration for other areas on an ad‑hoc basis, and play an active role in communicating departmental strategies and best practices.
About You
You’ll be a central contributor to a collaborative, forward-thinking team committed to excellence and the University’s core values. With a strong focus on sustainability, you’ll help deliver key environmental initiatives and contribute to the University’s Flexible Framework goals.
Qualifications
We are seeking a motivated procurement professional with a Level 5 CIPS qualification – or the willingness to work towards this qualification – to join our team and help drive excellence across our procurement activities. You will bring experience of working within organisational policies and public procurement environments, along with confidence using E‑Tendering systems to deliver compliant, value-driven outcomes. Skilled at collaborating with staff at all levels, you will have an understanding of the legal aspects of purchasing and the public sector tendering process to ensure transparency, fairness, and robust governance.
Benefits
* Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
* Local Government Pension Scheme
* Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
* Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
* Discounted onsite gym
* Cycle to Work scheme
* A flexible working environment
* A commitment to personal and professional development
Key Contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Graham Caborn, Procurement Business Partner via g.caborn@derby.ac.uk
Important Information
The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
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