Assistant Procurement Manager

To take ownership of specific procurement category areas and develop a business improvement approach to the management of that category. Identify opportunities to drive costs down and improve efficiency and ensuring service buy-in across the Council.

To support the management at a range of corporate contracts ensuring that supplier performance is monitored and remedial action is taken if necessary.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES

CUSTOMERS & PARTNERS

Responsible for:- -Engaging with and building positive relations with customers to ensure that their requirements are at the heart of the design and delivery of services in accordance with the Council's customer strategy.
-Delivery of the one County Council brand, enhancing the overall reputation of the service.
-Ensuring that the service delivers long-term positive outcomes locally for people and communities. Build and promote successful partnership working across all sectors and with service users to deliver more cost effective and valued services. Commission effective and efficient services which meet the goals and objectives of the service.
- Ensuring that the needs of service users are met by demonstrating behaviour which fosters equality of opportunity in service provision and employment.

MANAGING SERVICES

Responsible for:- -Ensuring that the service performs its duties and functions in fulfilment of its statutory obligations. In pursuit of this responsibility, managers need to ensure that they, and their relevant staff, keep abreast of the Council's changing legal obligations and mandates. Responsible for ensuring relevant compliance with the financial regulations and standing orders of the Council.
-The management of those services and functions that are set within the direction of this post. Demonstrate cross-organisational team working, and across boundaries with other agencies and partners, to improve services and solve problems in a coherent and integrated manner.
-Ensuring that relevant and best professional advice, guidance and information is available in an intelligible and timely fashion to the Council's leadership. as well as to other stakeholders.
-Sustaining and improving the overall reputation of the Council and acting in the best interests of Northamptonshire through effective representations locally, regionally and/or nationally.

MANAGING PEOPLE

Responsible for:- -Demonstrating the Council's managerial leadership competencies - providing purposive and positive leadership, acting with openness, honesty and integrity, and instilling a clear sense of direction, priority and pace. Managing people in an inclusive way to deliver strategic and operational objectives.
-Ensuring that effective arrangements are in place to secure the overall well-being and the healththe use of business and operational process improvements; the smarter use of supply (through out-sourcing, co-sourcing and in-sourcing where appropriate); the better use of demand management; and improved asset management.
-Ensuring that effective risk management arrangements are in place to minimise the Council's exposure to risk and uncertainty. Responsible for resilient business continuity arrangements and robust response and recovery arrangements in the event of emergencies and critical incidents locally - in accordance with the requirements of the Council's Emergency and Business Continuity Plans.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

- Development and implementation of procurement strategies for individual contracts and commodities within the designated category ensuring that the optimal commercial approach is adopted and procurement related savings and/or benefits are realised. Consult with service departments within designated category to agree the most effective procurement approach.
- Manage all commercial negotiation with within designated category including the development, implementation, award and management of a range of corporate contracts. Liaise with other category managers to capture all synergy benefits between categories, and ensure procurement related benefits and the council's commercial position is protected.
- Ensure the full range of procurement options are identified including pursuing collaborative procurement opportunities so that commercially sound decisions are made when appointing contractors, including the identification of innovative approaches, options appraisal and problem solving to provide value for money for the council.
- Responsible for the management of a procurement category with a spend of circa £20 million, to achieve savings and benefits targets and improving the councils financial performance.
- Provision of guidance and instruction within area of responsibility to ensure compliance with the council's statutory obligations, and that legal risk is understood, managed, and minimised.
- To ensure that contracts awarded are compliant with the County Council's Contract Procedure Rules and EU legislation.
- To act as an ambassador for the council at national and regional levels in relation to portfolio. Liaising with suppliers, other public sector bodies and interest groups, so that best practice and innovation is shared, and where possible collaborative actions are undertaken to generate benefits for the council.
- Provide input on the development of procurement polices and procedures particularly in regard to those impacting corporate contracts.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, service users, external suppliers and public sector colleagues drive the collaborative agenda and ensure service delivery requirements are met.

This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies a level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Post Title:

Procurement Category Officer

Grade

Grade K

Service Area:

Corporate Procurement

ATTRIBUTES

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

- Graduate calibre or clear evidence of relevant job experience.
- Membership of Chartered institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or equivalent professional body.

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

- Understanding and experience of the requirements of procurement category management approach.
- Sound negotiation and influencing skills.
- Knowledge and understanding of EU Procurement legislation and contract law.
- Computer literate to intermediate level in Word, Excel, MS Project, Powerpoint.
- Experience of working in an ERP environment, with good knowledge of integrated purchase to pay systems.
- Previous experience of public sector processes and procedures.
-  Knowledge of EU procurement legislation

ATTRIBUTES

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

ABILITY AND SKILLS

- Sound organisational skills, able to prioritise, and communicate effectively.
- Excellent analytical skills, ability to identify key information.
- Evidence of working in a collaborative manner to achieve improved outcomes.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Ability to demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people's behaviour, physical, social and welfare needs