Senior Procurement Officer

About The Role

Working hours: 35 hours per week (Hybrid working)
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: 11.59pm, 29 June
Interview method: in person
This role is subject to:

• 2 references - where possible we require 3 years' history

With the new Procurement Act and a new approach to procuring and managing contracts, is it time for a new challenge?Are you an ambitious all-round procurement professional looking to take the next step in your career into managing a busy procurement team?Do you have the talent to work for one of the biggest metropolitan councils in the UK?Are you passionate about how Procurement can contribute towards local wealth building and making Manchester a better place?
Manchester City Council is looking for an individual with good all round procurement experience and with a desire to progress their career in a council with a reputation for rising to the biggest challenges.With a large pipeline of diverse projects this is a fantastic opportunity to exercise your full range of Procurement skills including market research, supplier identification, tendering, contract negotiation as well as support services to undertake post-contract supplier performance and contractual adherence.
The post holder will provide support and leadership to Procurement Officers across a varied portfolio of projects in order to deliver a cost-effective and efficient procurement service supporting delivery of real improvements to the lives of Manchester's residents.Responsibilities include:

• Managing, planning and delivering of procurement projects for services across the Council as well as for selected external organisations.
• Providing a comprehensive procurement service to stakeholders, managing stakeholder relationships to deliver successful procurements.
• Ensuring that procurements provide value for money and promote the council's strategic priorities including social value and zero carbon.

The Manchester Strategy sets a long-term vision for Manchester's future and describes how we will achieve it.The role holder will support and provide expert advice to stakeholders within the organisation to ensure commercial processes and strategies are in place to take Manchester into the topflight of world-class cities by 2025, when the city will:

• have a competitive, dynamic and sustainable economy that draws on our distinctive strengths in science, advanced manufacturing, culture, and creative and digital business - cultivating and encouraging new ideaspossess highly skilled, enterprising and industrious peoplebe connected, internationally and within the UK
• play its full part in limiting the impacts of climate changebe a place where residents from all backgrounds feel safe, can aspire, succeed and live well
• be clean, attractive, culturally rich, outward-looking and welcoming.

For an informal discussion, please contact the hiring manager, Phil Robinson, at to arrange a convenient time to discuss the role.
About the Candidate

We are looking for a procurement professional with relevant knowledge and experience of delivering successful procurements and meeting clients' strategic objectives. The role holder will be adept at building relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, managing a wide-ranging procurement portfolio and managing and developing Procurement Officer(s) within the team.

The key skills and requirements for the role are:

• An in-depth knowledge of Procurement principles, practices and techniques, including knowledge of UK Public Sector procurement regulations.
• Communication Skills: Is able to effectively transfer key and complex information to all levels of staff, adapting the style of communication as necessary and ensuring that this information is understood.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to absorb, understand and quickly assimilate complex information and concepts and compare information from a number of different sources.
• Planning and Organising: Excellent time management skills, creating own work schedules, prioritising, preparing in advance and setting realistic timescales for own self and others. Has the ability to visualise a sequence of actions needed to achieve a specific goal and how to estimate the resources required.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making: Strong decision making skills with the ability to resolve complex issues in a pressurised environment.
• Commercial Skills: Demonstrates sound business intelligence and ability to identify commercially viable opportunities and secure value for money in service delivery. Skills to identify industry trends, needs and commercial opportunities.
• People Management: Ability to lead, manage and motivate staff to high levels of performance in order to achieve change and maximise staff potential and contribution to the achievement of identified aims and objectives. Can also lead and plan the work of the team which deals with more diverse issues.

About Us

We're the local council for one of the UK's most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn't just a job - it's an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it's strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you'll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city - a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We 'own it' and we're not afraid to try new things
• We're proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance- Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension- You'll be enrolled in the UK's largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave- Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow- We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member- W e are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave- Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments : Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats : Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page . This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting requirement s for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below :

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us

We're a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly .

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email .

What we will need from you if you're successful

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