Job description
The post holder will provide high quality administrative support with an emphasis on procurement and financial management for the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences working alongside the central Procurement team.
The post holder will specialise in procurement of scientific equipment and systems to support the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging sciences, including managing requests for quotations, the initiation and management of formal tender processes, single source justifications and exemptions.
The post holder will be highly numerate and able to interpret as well as communicate figures to a wide range of audience. In collaboration with other Operations Officers, the post holder will work across a significant number of grants and be expected to familiarise themselves with the requirements and practices of different funders.
This post will be offered on a fixed term contract for 2 years
This is a full-time post, this is a hybrid role with at least 3 days on campus.
Key responsibilities
Duties:
• To provide day-to-day support for finance and procurement operations for the School;
• To support all areas of the School with requisition and tendering activities. This includes the activities listed below as well as calling-off from framework agreements and using the e-procurement portal.
– Initiation and production of tender documentation, single source justifications, exemption justifications;
– Support the provision of effective and clear procurement planning including, a pipeline of future procurement requirements, working with senior colleagues to ensure clear rationale for decisions;
– Support tender panels in the creation of clear tender documentation including , evaluation criteria and weightings;
– Support the evaluation and scoring of tender submissions, contract award and handover;
– Analysing expenditure, researching the market, supply chain and benchmarking others;
– Working closely and effectively with the central Procurement Team
• To provide efficient operational support to staff and students in the School with a focus on financial matters, e.g. post-award management, processing expenses claims, placing purchase orders, setting up new suppliers, issuing and settling invoices, requesting one-off payment, monitoring bank transfers
• To support and deputise for the post holder’s line manager/s as appropriate
• To provide advice and guidance and, where appropriate, training on university policies, processes and where required, source information and support for colleagues to facilitate their work
• To use, maintain and promote university-wide systems, ensuring efficient processes are in place to maintain high quality data, providing training to colleagues as required in order to ensure accurate data are maintained and accessible
• To have a broad and in-depth knowledge of Faculty and university polices, processes and systems, work with all School/Faculty staff to solve problems and provide solutions, efficiently and effectively
• To participate in cross-School, -Faculty and -university projects and initiatives.
Whilst working within the framework agreed with the Senior Operations Officer (Research) and School Lead (Research & Impact), the post holder is expected to manage their own workload and is expected to be flexible in anticipating and responding to shifting and competing demands on their and the wider team’s time. It is expected that the post will work with minimum regular supervision but will refer to their line-managers for advice on issues which fall outside existing regulatory or policy frameworks.
The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Skills, knowledge, and experience
Essential criteria
1. Educated to degree level or relevant experience
2. Highly numerate with proven financial management and analytical skills
3. Experience in procurement for scientific research goods and services
4. Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills at all levels
5. Commitment to good practice and following process/procedure
6. Experience of using finance & procurement systems, , complex databases and management information systems
7. Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment
8. A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, actively addressing areas of potential bias
9. Proven commitment to ongoing skills development
10. Experience of working in a highly regulated environment, public sector procurement or working in a research-intensive Higher Education institution.
Desirable criteria
1. Proven Professional Services skills gained within the Higher Education sector and a detailed knowledge the regulatory, policy and procedural context along with the challenges and opportunities faced by the sector
2. Knowledge of research practice and policy in health (bioscience/medicine)
3. Qualification from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply
Further information
This is a newly created post, established to improve the School’s experience of purchasing goods and services and financial processes. The successful candidate will benefit from support and development from colleagues in central professional services teams, in particular the Procurement and Contracts Team.
