Location Ark Schools Central Vacancy Description As a key member of the Procurement and Contracts Team at Ark Central, you will undertake a range of responsibilities to support the delivery of Ark Schools’ procurement strategy. This varied and busy role will involve supporting on procurement and contract matters, directly managing, and leading of specific contracts, communicating with internal and external stakeholders, and providing commercial support and guidance to frontline operational staff in schools.
Procurement Support Officer
Reports to: Contracts Manager
Location: West London – currently operating an agile working policy with two core days (Mon and Weds) in the office
Contract: Permanent
Pattern: Full Time (standard hours 9am – 5.30pm)
Closing date: 08/03/2024 at 10am
Interviews: w/c 11/03/2024
Salary: £29,000
About the role:
As a key member of the Procurement and Contracts Team at Ark Central, you will undertake a range of responsibilities to support the delivery of Ark Schools’ procurement strategy. This varied and busy role will involve supporting on procurement and contract matters, directly managing, and leading of specific contracts, communicating with internal and external stakeholders, and providing commercial support and guidance to frontline operational staff in schools.
This role also includes line management responsibilities and so would be ideal for someone looking to take the next step in their professional career.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Supporting the Contracts Manager with monitoring and reviewing performance reports, supplier KPIs, obligations and commitments regularly to ensure they adhere to agreed requirements
2. Leading on specific contracts and managing relationships with those suppliers and contractors
3. Using administerial skills to maintain a comprehensive filing system for managing contracts, ensuring records and progress reports are up-to-date at all times
4. Line management of the Procurement Apprentice providing support, guidance and direction.
5. Supporting on Procurement Projects and Tenders
6. Owning and managing the relationship between Ark Central and frontline Operational staff within schools. Compiling feedback from both Central and Schools and ensuring necessary action is taken
7. Supporting the team with ad hoc tasks and requirements
Key Requirements:
8. Experience in a similar procurement role is desired
9. Strong administrative and organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail
10. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills
11. Ability to work methodically and multi-task
12. Ability to manage workload, meet deadlines and prioritise time effectively
13. IT Literate; proficient with Microsoft Office applications, especially Word and Excel
View the full job description and person specification here
About Ark
We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 30,000 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.
You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.
Benefits
14. 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
15. Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
16. Hybrid working, with currently two days a week in our state-of-the-art office in West London working alongside colleagues
17. Regular social events, monthly free breakfast, and daily fruit
18. A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work life balance and personal commitments
19. As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
20. Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
21. Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests