Job title: Senior Procurement Officer x 2 – People and Places
Salary: PO4 £46,142- £49,282
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: City Centre based, hybrid working offered (mandatory, weekly one day in office)
Are you a procurement professional looking to join a dynamic and committed procurement and commercial service? As one of our next Senior Procurement Officers, you’ll be inquisitive and thrive on finding solutions in the context of public procurement.
It’s not just about processes and regulation, cost cutting or finding the cheapest options available. It is about analysing and understanding the organisation’s needs, evaluating potential suppliers, negotiating contracts, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality goods, works and services for our customers. Effective procurement involves understanding our Service needs, careful planning, market research and supplier relationship management. It focusses on identifying opportunities for innovation, promoting sustainability and ethical practices, and mitigating risks, by adopting a strategic approach, procurement can contribute to the overall success and competitiveness for Leeds City Council.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About You
* Strong relationship (and stakeholder) management and communication skills with the ability to shape and influence change
* Experience supporting a Category Management approach in the delivery of best practice procurement and achieving value for money
* Be forward thinking, inquisitive and curious to understand the market and the supply chain
* Experience applying project management and managing multiple projects
* Strong procurement and/or supply chain management experience (relevant Degree, CIPS qualification or relevant demonstrable skills or experience)
* Experienced in public sector procurement preferable, although those whose background is not in the public sector but who can demonstrate an understanding of the issues and processes around public sector procurement will also be considered.
About The Role
* Provide a professional advisory and management function in respect of complex medium to high procurements across either the People or Places Category.
* Promote and support outcomes focused solutions that will add values and help achieve the Best City Ambition
* Promote partnership working in and out the Council to support priority outcomes
* Support to the category management approach and transformation to ensure efficiencies and best outcomes
What We Offer You
* A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
* Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
* Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
* A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
* A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
Key Requirements
* Manage procurements, including where appropriate complex medium to high risk and/or value procurements, within a context of budget pressures and funding restrictions, ensuring the delivery and improvement of services which meet the needs of our communities and stakeholders.
* Contribute to the identifying and resolving of risks and issues in procurements.
* Coordinate and manage the tender process to Invitation to Tender stage including the development and preparation of tender documents for signoff, setting of evaluation criteria and methodology, publishing of relevant documentation.
* Contribute to, and where appropriate manage, the procurement process to Contract Award including evaluation of tenders and drafting and issuing of relevant documentation.At all stages of the procurement process respond to and communicate with bidders on behalf of the council.
* Report on spend and challenge departments regarding off-contract, non-contract and quasi-contract spend, achieving a reduction in such spend.
* Contribute to and guide the preparation and authorisation of contract documents to ensure that properly drafted contracts are entered into; implement standardised documentation across procurements and categories.
* Understanding of public sector tendering and contract management processes, with an understanding of the strategic procurement issues facing the public sector.
* Knowledge and understanding of commercial organisations and markets.
* Experience of effectively managing medium complexity procurement contracts to achieve objectives.
* Experience of applying different strategies for solving procurement issues.
* Experience of reviewing systems and procedures to improve service delivery.
* Demonstrate drive, energy, resilience and self-management skills as well as integrity, openness and awareness of others.
* Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner using a variety of presentational formats.
* Experience of working in a multi-discipline environment.
* Experience of supporting a multi-disciplinary and occasionally geographically dispersed procurement project team.
* Experience of successful management of change programmes which reflect service needs, provide value for money, and maintain quality.
* Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate to form positive relationships.
* Ability to employ a range of management styles which focus on achieving results in terms of outcomes for staff and customers.
* Experience of delivering a high level of customer satisfaction with the quality of service.
* Knowledge, understanding and experience of procurement and project management methodology to drive service improvement.
* An understanding and practical experience of procurement and commercial approach through all stages of the procurement life cycle.
Working Context
The role is primarily office based and the post holder will be expected to work flexibly, in line with Council policies, both at home and at various locations across the City and region. Hours are worked mainly Monday to Friday, in accordance with the needs of the service; however, the post holder will be expected to work regularly outside normal working hours, including attendance at evening / weekend meetings or events as the service requires.
Qualification
* To hold a Degree, CIPS qualification or relevant demonstrable skills or experience.
* To be able to demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development.
* Contribute to effective joint working within the council. Provide direction and support to colleagues, clients and immediate line reports, creating an organisational culture of shared accountabilities, learning and continuous improvement.
* Contribute to new ways of working and to partnership working and relationships with key clients both internal and external to the council, to improve corporate priority outcomes and to ensure that developments and improvements remain focused on delivering outcomes for local people.
* Promote and support positive solutions to achieve diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement activity and human resource areas.
* Support effective consultation and communications with colleagues, clients, councillors, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with council policy.
* Support open, responsive and accountable government, ensuring good governance compliance with financial and procurement procedures.
* Manage all aspects of risk and be responsible for the safety of staff, clients and contractors in accordance with all statutory obligations and relevant health and safety policies.
* Assist in reducing procurement costs and improving efficiency by identifying areas suitable for corporate contracts and e‑procurement and developing other appropriate contractual arrangements.
* Maintain a record of the savings achieved through the introduction of more efficient and economic procurement arrangements.
* Identify, develop and monitor procurements undertaken on a regional and inter‑council basis.
* Support the delivery of training relevant to procurement to a range of internal practitioners; help develop the skills and abilities of client‑based staff to enable them to undertake procurement projects of varying size and complexity.
Essential Behavioural And Other Characteristics
* Leeds City Council values are at the heart of everything we do. They inform the way we design and deliver our services and the way we all work and behave. Leeds City Council expects all its employees and councillors to observe our core values and to understand our codes of conduct for ethical behaviour, correct use of the Integrated Digital Service (IDS) facilities and protection of sensitive information.
* They reflect the current needs of the city. In a period of immense change and real challenge we must be both confident and decisive about what we do and how we do it.
Knowledge
* Provide advice and guidance on procurement matters across the authority to senior officers and other stakeholders.
* Assist the Procurement Category Manager in providing advice at a senior level to service departments prior to the commencement of the procurement, including procurement options appraisal, procurement plan, specification, pricing models, innovative partnership arrangements.
* Provide post‑procurement advice and management, including the Contract Management Plan.
* Provide advice and management regarding contract extensions, variations and termination of contracts.
* Assist with the development, management and monitoring of the implementation of category management and category plans across identified categories of spend.
* Provide advice and guidance on the implementation of, and ensure compliance with, the council’s Contract Procedure Rules, relevant legislation, and statutory undertakings.
* Ensure safety and safeguarding requirements are complied with.
EEO Statement
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying.
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