Casanovas Recruitment Solutions

Casanovas Recruitment Solutions has an exciting new procurement opportunity in a unique, highly interesting and historic charity sector as a Senior Procurement Specialist. The company works closely with various highly regarded national and international organisations and works with various charities and initiatives to provide support, information and training to a very specific industry.

The role and responsibilities

The Senior Procurement Specialist will assist and actively support the Procurement Manager in delivering the professional Purchasing objectives of the company to satisfy the current and future needs of the business.

Professional Purchasing

•         Develop Procurement Strategies, in consultation with stakeholders, for major and complex multiyear procurement/projects in predominantly in excess of £250k in value. Projects generally be business critical and cross departmental in nature.
•         Develop, coordinate and implement tendering processes for the more complex contracts, following the correct procedures and to the timescales specified in the Resource Plan.
•         Manage and deliver the procurement of assigned projects to the timescales published in the Project Initiation Document (PID) and/or Resource Plan, in liaison with the relevant project manager.
•         Management of the Department for Transport (DfT) Commercial Assurance process for complex multiyear procurement projects, including attendance before Commercial Assurance Board in person where appropriate.
•         Develop and oversee the preparation of product/services enquiries and quotations, ensuring compliance to procurement procedures, and prepare evaluation reports and recommendations.
•         Manage the Contract Management process, including undertaking appropriate supplier assessments and managing suppliers to achieve and maintain improvements in cost, quality and delivery. Developing contract KPIs and monitoring performance against them.
•         Report on purchasing activity opportunities for category buying and increased aggregate spend with suppliers, and implement changes as directed.
•         Monitor and pro-actively manage complex contracts, ensuring variations and all documentation is correctly recorded and archived in the document management system, ensure corrective actions are taken in a timely manner, internally and externally and directly liaise with the contract parties to ensure agreed improvement is delivered.
•         Obtain value-for-money on all purchasing activity and identify opportunities for business or process improvement.

Purchasing Function

•         Provide technical support and assistance to the Purchasing Officers, Receptionists and Assistant Procurement Specialists.
•         Provide information and advice on correct procurement processes to other internal departments and represent the procurement function as required.
•         Maximising purchasing efficiencies (i.e., crown commercial services, call-off orders, electronic purchasing and invoicing).
•         Proactively monitor and take the necessary corrective action on the progression of orders by suppliers, responding effectively to identified delays against due date or discrepancies (e.g. damaged goods, incorrect shipment).
•         Contribute to purchasing activity for all departments as directed, but specifically focus on adding value to the more complex projects and higher value contracts.
•         Pro-actively manage and improve upon the departmental SLA performance under the guidance of the Procurement Manager.

 People Management

•         Effectively lead, manage and develop the Assistant Procurement Specialists on a day-to-day basis, including allocation of workload and ensuring that performance targets and job descriptions reflect individual responsibilities and the wider department demands.
•         Oversee the performance targets of the wider team (Assistant Procurement Specialist, Purchasing officer, Receptionist)
•         Act as mentor and source of procurement expertise and advice for team members and the wider company.  
•         Engage actively in the wider staff development of the Purchasing Officers, Receptionists and Assistant Procurement Specialists to assist in continuous improvements of service delivery.
•         Promote team and cross departmental working and encourage individuals to assist other departments as workload permits.
•         Within area of responsibility manage health, safety, environmental and quality management procedures, including relevant emergency procedures, ensuring capability of staff and contractors, in accordance with company health, safety and environmental and quality management policy and relevant laws.

Required skills and Qualifications

A level 5 qualification in a related discipline (e.g. CIPS Foundation Diploma in Procurement and Supply) 

Previous practical experience of producing and evaluating over UK Government set threshold Tenders.

Knowledge of monitoring evolving public contract procurement trends on a UK and worldwide basis and identifying procurement solutions is desirable.

A working knowledge of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 is essential 

A minimum of level 3 management qualification with associate membership of the Chartered Management Institute (ACMI) (or equivalent).

Benefits

• Hybrid’ working after probation – 2 days in the office
• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 days with service) plus statutory bank holidays as well as an additional 3.5 privilege days
• Discretionary performance-related pay arrangements
• A range of family friendly and work life balance policies
• Eligibility to join certain civil service associations and societies (such as sports club, car breakdown, benevolent fund, Benenden Health Care)
• Access to a Benefits Portal for discounts in retail, electronics, health and fitness and much more
• Use of our Employee Assistance Programme
• An excellent Defined Benefit Occupational pension scheme

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