About the Job:  Working as part of the Council’s Strategic Procurement Service you will support or lead tender activity or act in a support role to provide specialist support or analytical services to the team or its customers. This is one of a number of posts in the Strategic Procurement Service that work flexibly to support the commercial needs of the Council. Success will depend on developing critical relationships at all levels, particularly with commissioners, outcome managers, project manager and other support services. You will be expected to demonstrate a good level of procurement knowledge and expertise perhaps in a specialist subject area and may be required to undertake discreet procurement projects.

This is what we need you to do - Provide commissioners or other clients with pragmatic and informed advice so that customer outcomes and value for money requirements met or exceeded. Specifically you will need to;

• Use specialist knowledge or expertise to achieve superior outcomes.

• Undertake market and supplier research to inform the development of commissioning and commercial thinking.
• Undertake or lead discreet procurement projects and attend project/review board meetings as required.
• Assess Social Value and work to maximise it through your work.
• Ensure effective communication and engagement with stakeholders and partners (including external suppliers).
• Assess and manage the risk associated with each activity.

• Keep up-to-date with relevant policy and legislative changes.
• Ensure compliance with all legal and Council requirements and policies.
• Work to lead or support specific tendering activity.
• Prepare a procurement strategy that describes your procurement findings and recommended approach.

The ideal candidate will have...

Experience

• Worked in a procurement or commissioning environment.
• Translated technical or commissioning needs and outcomes into specification and tender documents.
• Experience of managing significant or complex tenders.
• Researched markets and suppliers and understand how to develop a tender to gain maximum value for money whilst managing risk.
• An awareness of cost and how value for money can be improved through the tender.
• Built and maintained productive relationships, including those with key stakeholders and external organisations.
• Worked in a structured or project based environment.
• Worked independently or with others to deliver discreet projects.
• Developed communication and stakeholder management plans.
• Produced written and verbal summaries.

Knowledge, Skills and Understanding

• Proven delivery skills and experience of working to tight, pressurised deadlines in complex matrix managed organisations.
• Knowledge of procurement regulations and at least a working understanding or contract law, risk management and contract management.
• An ability to compile a tender to achieve the desired outcomes and delivers best value for money and an appropriate balance of risk and reward.
• An ability to add value through expert knowledge and understanding of a given outcome/portfolio area.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including report writing and the ability to simplify technical and complex information.
• Good commercial skills, including the practical application of negotiation, project management, cost and price reduction techniques and a basic understanding of financial information.

Behavioural attributes

• The ability to work effectively with people at all levels internally and externally.
• A good level of commercial and cost awareness.
• Customer focus and the ability to communicate appropriately.
• The ability to challenge and influence effectively.
• Emotional resilience.
• Flexibility, creativity and self motivation.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
   

In addition  for the higher grade you will have the following

• A high level of knowledge about procurement in the public sector, including Council policies and practices.
• The ability to access and manipulate data and draw insight and recommendations from it.
• The ability to represent information in a clear and coherent way with a high degree of accuracy. Well developed computer skills. 
• Good people skills, the ability to deal with conflict effectively.
• Ability to work on own initiative.

Education & Qualifications

• High level of literacy and numeracy evidenced by GCSEs Grade A – C (particularly Maths and English)
• Hold or be working towards CIPS level 3 or equivalent