Procurement Specialist

Role: Procurement Specialist

Location: Crawley, West Sussex (Gatwick area) - 40% office attendance (approximately 2 days per week)

Duration: 6 months+

Role Type: Hybrid

Salary: Depending on experience

Role Overview

Our client is looking for an experienced Public Sector Procurement Specialist to manage end-to-end procurement activities, ensuring compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 and Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

The successful candidate will take ownership of sourcing and tendering activities, supplier negotiations, contract management and commercial evaluations, ensuring value for money, effective risk management and compliance with public sector procurement regulations.

This is a hands-on procurement role requiring someone who can independently manage procurement exercises while working closely with internal stakeholders and suppliers.

Key Responsibilities:

• End-to-End Procurement: Lead the full procurement life cycle, including market engagement, sourcing strategies, tender documentation, bid evaluation, negotiations and contract award.
• Public Sector Compliance: Ensure procurement activities comply with the Procurement Act 2023, PCR 2015 and relevant government procurement policies.
• Commercial Evaluation: Assess supplier bids, pricing, commercial risks, contractual terms and value-for-money considerations.
• Contract & Supplier Management: Manage contract performance, KPIs, renewals, variations, disputes and supplier relationships.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Partner with internal business teams, providing procurement expertise, guidance and commercial advice.
• Procurement Frameworks: Utilise public sector purchasing frameworks and e-tendering systems.
• Cost Savings: Identify opportunities to reduce expenditure, improve commercial outcomes and track savings.
• Governance & Reporting: Maintain accurate procurement records, contract databases, spend reports and compliance documentation.
• Non-Competitive Procurement: Manage single tender actions, NDAs and other procurement-related commercial activities

Essential Candidate Requirements:

• Strong public sector procurement experience - ideally within central government, government agencies, regulators or other public bodies.
• Excellent knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023 and PCR 2015 - practical experience applying both regimes is particularly desirable.
• Proven end-to-end tendering experience - independently managing procurement exercises from initial requirements through to contract award.
• Commercial and contract management expertise - including supplier negotiations, bid evaluations, contract terms and supplier performance.
• Strong stakeholder management skills - confident advising senior stakeholders and challenging requirements where necessary.
• Experience using procurement frameworks and e-tendering systems - including public sector framework agreements and P2P processes.
• Ability to deliver value for money - with demonstrable cost savings, commercial risk reduction and procurement improvements.

Desirable:

• CIPS Level 4-6 qualification or MCIPS, although practical procurement delivery experience should take priority unless a qualification is confirmed as mandatory.