Please note that this position is offered as a 12 month Fixed Term Contract. Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.
Job Purpose
The Procurement Officer will support the Procurement function in various aspects, including managing and fielding supplier queries, supporting market engagement events, providing contract administration, as well as working on lower level sourcing and contract management activities. The Procurement Officer will also support the delivery of research and analysis which informs category plans and potential improvements to the management of suppliers and markets. The individual will seek opportunities to remove waste, implement technologies and automate processes within existing contractual restrictions. This role will be supporting the internal PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) programme.
The role requires good analytical skills to explore alternative solutions which meet customer requirements.
Service/Functional Accountabilities
* Manage responses to supplier queries, co-ordinating the support to market engagement events and providing contract administration.
* Lead on the delivery and development of contract and supplier amendment and update processes including, contract novations, price uplifts and on boarding new suppliers to ECC, liaising with internal and external stakeholders as appropriate.
* Manage contracts to ensure that performance standards are achieved and any contractual, commercial or market risks are identified and appropriate mitigations put in place.
* Deal effectively with supplier correspondence, ensuring that messaging is conducted in a fair, transparent and auditable manner.
* Lead the delivery of low risk sourcing processes, ensuring compliance with the Authority’s Procurement Policy and Procedures.
* Lead the development, planning and delivery of improvement projects, ensuring effective stakeholder management and compliance with existing contractual requirements.
* Adopt a continuous improvement approach to systems and processes to support the development of best practice for wider department benefit.
* Plan and implement a risk-based programme of contract compliance audits in conjunction with specialist areas of the organisation such as Internal Audit, Corporate Health and Safety, Corporate Risk and Information Governance.
* Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience * Educated to ‘A’ Level standard and/or qualification by experience of working in a commercial environment.
* Experience of running low level tenders with a working knowledge of public sector procurement law and experience of managing lower level contracts and monitoring and improving performance and mitigating risks
* Proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel. Solid working knowledge of PowerPoint and MS Word.
* Appreciation of working in a political environment and an ability to understand and respond to different perspectives.
* Strong communication; verbal, written and presentation skills.
* Strong customer focus with a drive to provide a valued service.
* A positive attitude: a ‘can do’ approach, good work ethic and willingness to learn
* Interest in pursuing a career in procurement and either studying for or wishing to study for CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) accreditation.
