JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: Head of Procurement SALARY SCALE: £42,315 - £45,351 (Under Review) REPORTS TO: Head of Corporate Services LOCATION: Enniskillen, County Fermanagh SUMMARY OF ROLE The Head of Procurement is responsible for developing and managing a comprehensive, robust, and compliant procurement function for the organisation. The role involves leading, developing and implementing a procurement strategy, ensuring effective contract management, and continuously evolving procurement policies and procedures. The role-holder will lead procurement transformation, ensuring compliance with governance provisions and aligning procurement processes with the organisations Digital Transformation Strategy and sustainability objectives. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Develop and implement an organisation-wide procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives. Lead contract management performance to include management, monitoring and reporting of the Contract Register, ensuring procurement KPIs are met and driving improvements. Oversee the continuing development of the procurement function, including tender management, Procurement card management and procurement support, guidance, and training. Implement robust procurement policies and procedures to ensure timely and compliant awarding of tenders and contracts. Manage and resolve supply issues escalated by business units, ensuring compliance with relevant policies, guidelines, and legislation. Provide lead expertise and strategic input into sourcing strategies, supplier negotiations, facilitate team development and performance management within procurement, ensuring capability building. Collaborate with senior managers to provide procurement support that meets organisational and departmental objectives. Develop, implement, and oversee the delivery of a Corporate Procurement Plan, ensuring policies and procedures align with the Digital Transformation Strategy. Establish a Target Operating Model for procurement, ensuring reliable linkages between enablers, processes, and governance. Formulate and drive a programme for procurement efficiencies, capturing synergies from digitisation, energy management, and other initiatives. Align sustainable procurement approaches with climate strategy and climate action plans, ensuring long-term environmental impact considerations including green procurement. Create and manage a procurement framework that integrates sustainability and measures social, economic, and environmental capital delivered by the organisation. Develop and maintain a monitoring system for critical supply chain issues and associated risks and supply chain resilience, providing regular reporting. Support organisational change management initiatives, leading procurement-related change management training and assessing effectiveness. Ensure strong procurement governance, overseeing compliance, risk management, and reporting processes. Champion transformational change initiatives, particularly in relation to IT digitisation within procurement. Develop and deliver procurement training programmes to enhance organisational capability and compliance awareness. Ensure adherence to procurement regulations through audits, reporting, and best practice implementation. Manage the preparation, release, and evaluation of eTenders, ensuring a transparent and effective procurement process. Oversee the purchase order process, ensuring accuracy, policy alignment, and efficiency. Provide expert advice to senior management on procurement-related matters, supporting strategic decision-making. Provide direct line management to the Senior Procurement Specialist ensuring clear objectives, professional development, and be accountable for the procurement performance for other team members including Procurement Advisors and personnel responsible for procurement within all divisions/sections. Oversee and support the procurement helpdesk, ensuring effective support for internal stakeholders. Manage the Budget allocated to Procurement and carry out duties necessary as a Budget Holder. Provide direct line management of the Senior Procurement Specialist and be accountable for the procurement performance of the personnel responsible for procurement within all divisions/sections. Comply with and actively promote Waterways Ireland policies and procedures on all aspects of equality. Complete all training as required by Waterways Ireland within specified timeframes. The above list is not exhaustive, and you may be required to take on other duties and responsibilities for the effective and efficient performance of the role. The organisation operates within a changing environment, and you will be required to be flexible and adapt to these changes and to develop your role as a result going forward. The reporting line and key duties and responsibilities of this role may be subject to change following the outcome of a review of the organisations structure and staffing. PERSON SPECIFICATION Candidates must be able to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility and essential criteria in their application rable criteria may be used as necessary in the selection process. Eligibility Criteria A relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification in a Procurement, Business or Supply Change Management related discipline, AND A minimum of five years experience in Public Procurement, or an acceptable equivalent, AND Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) Level 6 registration, AND Successful candidates will be required to travel to the Bodys regional offices. It is therefore essential that applicants either have a full current driving licence and/or access to a form of transport, which will permit the candidate to meet the requirements of the post in full. Applications will also be considered from candidates with relevant formal qualifications considered to be of an equivalent or higher standard to those stated above. Essential Criteria Proven experience as a Head of Procurement (or similar Lead role) in developing, leading, and managing a procurement department for at least five years, and three of the years should include procurement strategy development and corporate procurement planning in a complex organisation. Experience working with both internal and external stakeholders at a senior level to drive procurement strategy within an organisation. Demonstrated ability in the line management of staff, along with cross-functional collaboration with senior personnel up to Director level. Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills with experience of producing reports and presentations for a senior audience. Strong analytical and interpretive ability to assess organisational risk in procurement and identify opportunities for process improvement Strong strategic awareness with the ability to anticipate and respond to procurement trends, industry developments, and best practices, ensuring timely reporting and adaptation to evolving requirements. Personal authority, confidence, and resilience in engaging with internal and external senior stakeholders to challenge procurement practices and drive improvement. Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, fast paced environment and manage competing priorities. Desirable Criteria MCIPS qualification is highly desirable Strong knowledge of and engagement in organisational change management. Possess knowledge and understanding of working across two jurisdictions and the complexities that exist in such an environment. Understanding and awareness of different organisational development and change management models and approaches. Short-listing Process A short-list of candidates for interviews will be prepared on the basis of the information contained in the application. It is essential that all applicants demonstrate on their application how, and the extent to which, they satisfy each of the Eligibility, Essential & Desirable Criteria. Only those candidates who meet the Eligibility Criteria will proceed to the formal short-listing process. The candidates who meet the Eligibility Criteria will then have the information contained in their application assessed against the Essential & Desirable Criteria. Where a specified period of experience is mentioned, it may be increased as a method of reducing numbers or in the event of a large volume of candidates the Desirable Criteria may also be used. Reserve Panel This competition will create a merit-based panel which will last 12 months. Similar opportunities that arise over the next 12 months will be offered to successful applicants in order of merit. Note Starting Salary would normally be at the minimum. Consideration of a higher starting salary may be given to applicants with exceptional relevant experience and/or skills.