Post Designation: Procurement Officer
The Council's procurement team will play the central role in guiding and advising other departments to achieve the twin objectives of achieving social value and value for money from all its procurement exercises.
Operational work for the Procurement Team is split into three categories: People, Place, and Resources. Each category has a Category Lead, one or two Category Managers, and one or two Procurement Officers. The Procurement Officer will report to the Category Lead for the team in which they are based and will support the team as well as provide procurement advice and guidance to individual directorates within the Council to ensure that they deliver effective procurement exercises which seek social value outcomes and value for money within a procurement regulatory environment.
The Procurement Officers will initially be responsible for delivering individual workstreams within a procurement exercise, and if not already qualified, be seeking qualified status and membership in the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).
Main Duties:
1. Support the Category Lead in providing advice and guidance on procurement regulatory matters and corporate governance relating to procurement processes to ensure national and local procurement regulations and policies are followed.
2. Contribute to the development of a culture of performance management of contracts to ensure maximum value and social value benefits are achieved from contracts within the defined service area.
3. Assist in the development and promotion of best practices in supplier relationship management to minimize potential risk to the Council as a result of suppliers failing to deliver a contract.
4. Contribute to the development of the service area's procurement strategy, setting targets that contribute to medium-term financial savings and other Council policies.
5. Be a critical friend; promoting a commercial approach to contract award decisions, processes, and practices and positively influence key stakeholders in achieving efficiencies, effectiveness, and economies of scale from procurement exercises.
6. In the absence of a Category Lead or Category Manager, attend and contribute to key Service Management team (and where relevant, departmental service management teams) meetings that develop a culture of high professional standards and continuous improvement in the delivery of contracts.
7. Where appropriate, represent the Council at national, regional, and sub-regional forums relating to Procurement matters including the LGA, London Procurement Network Forum, London Tenders Portal, SOPO, etc.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Work alongside the Category Lead in ensuring the Council's procurement Strategy, Social Value Policy, and Procedures are continuously developed to meet changes in national and local policy and best practice in the public sector and the requirements of the Council.
2. Interpret government procurement regulations and policies to contribute to the development of strategies, policies, and practices that help maintain regulatory compliance and ensure the Council satisfies its duty to achieve best value from its procurement exercises.
3. Contribute to producing decision-making reports, respond to Members' inquiries in collaboration with the Head of Procurement, and provide procurement comments on decision-making and other relevant reports.
4. Maintain knowledge of procurement legislation, best practices, and latest developments in the procurement profession and assist the Category Lead in reviewing and developing practices in the service area to ensure regulatory compliance across all procurement and minimize risk of reputational and financial loss.
5. Work alongside the Category Lead and Category Manager/s to analyze and interpret local, national, and international market conditions and trends to determine and advise on, and/or develop the most appropriate procurement model to support the needs of services within their area of responsibility.
6. Lead and manage the end-to-end procurement exercises of contracts up to GBP500,000 within the wider workstream of the Category Team.
7. Supervise the Procurement Support Officer in terms of allocation and monitoring of workloads and offer support to ensure that deadlines are achieved, and a seamless service of support and efficiency is provided.
Perform all duties in line with the Council's staff values showing commitment to improving residents' lives and opportunities, demonstrating respect and fairness, taking ownership, working towards doing things better, and working together across the Council. Carry out duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Council's Health and Safety Policy and relevant legislation. #J-18808-Ljbffr