Procurement Category Specialist

Job details

• Manage and lead compliant tender/sourcing activities for assigned portfolio.

• Work with stakeholders to consolidate requirements to develop clear, detailed specifications and provide recommendations/procurement strategies for assigned portfolio and to assist Procurement Business Partners on opportunities for consolidation for other ad hoc areas.

• Define evaluation criteria, set up and run eSourcing and eAuction events where appropriate and with guidance from other Procurement Business Partner and provide input to contract negotiations and supplier risk plans for areas outside of assigned portfolio.

• Prepare, analyse, and evaluate tenders for goods and services as directed by the Procurement Business Partner, ensuring transparency and fairness in compliance to the University’s Purchasing Policy and Procedures.

• Support other team members in high value more complex tendering exercises through the delivery of tender activities, including public procurement process and mini competitions (for professional development purposes).

• Manage a small assigned portfolio of preferred suppliers, which will include leading of supplier review meetings

• Provide detailed analysis on the performance of contracts and suppliers by gathering data on and analysing key metrics, summarising these and providing concise reports that highlight any deviations and recommend courses of action to rectify. This will involve gathering feedback data from both end-users within the University as well as from suppliers.

• Responsible for populating central systems such as a central contract database with data received at the conclusion of sourcing projects.

• Communicate all contractual data to local Buyer teams.

• Identify, implement, and evaluate continuous improvement opportunities both internally and externally.

• Drive sustainability initiatives with the University’s suppliers, set targets and feedback on the delivery of those targets.

• Be fully involved in the Flexible Framework Sustainable Procurement achievement.

• Support the Procurement Business Partner to set up and run regular category forum meetings to bring together stakeholders across the University for category specific user groups.

• Identify demand requirements for the University to provide a holistic/demand overview and producing recommendations on potential synergies and potential for standardisation.

• Conduct product/service benchmarking and market analysis.

• Assist in the training and development of Buyers in respect of the general procurement of goods and services, the University’s Purchasing Policy and Procedures and the effective use of general procurement systems, processes and practices.

• Play a key role in the effective communication of the departmental strategy, policies, systems and procedures.

• Responsible for resolving escalated issues relating to the performance of suppliers or central Procurement. This will involve working with stakeholders to understand the root cause of the issues and discuss and agree resolution actions.

• Responsible for the delivery of savings within their category.

• Be an active member of the Procurement Team eg. Attend and participate in meetings, forums and staff development events and disseminate information from those meetings.

• Participate fully in the Development and Performance Review system and demonstrate the University’s core values.

• Ensure all work undertaken is recorded and processed in accordance with University financial procedures, procurement regulations and Purchasing Policy, including maintenance of archive materials, in a timely manner.