Procurement Officer

Dorset Council; Dorchester; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking a procurement professional to join the Commercial & Procurement team, delivering value for money across directorates. You will support procurement activity, lead complex projects, and ensure compliance with procurement regulations.

The role requires strong communication and negotiation skills, with formal use of ICT systems such as ProContract and Microsoft 365. You will work across Finance, ICT, HR, and more, shaping procurement across the Council.

Qualifications

• Strong track record in public sector procurement with open tenders and framework call-offs.
• Good comprehension of procurement regulations and governance.
• Experience supporting multiple directorates from initiation to contract management.

Responsibilities

• Manage tender processes for directorate-specific requirements with best practice.
• Provide procurement guidance to stakeholders and suppliers.
• Offer commercial advice and support stakeholders in achieving strategic objectives.
• Oversee procurement projects from initiation through contract management.

Skills

Procurement management

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Contract management

Public sector procurement

Tools

ProContract (Proactis)

Microsoft 365 (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel)

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Commercial & Procurement team and play an important role that makes a real difference to our communities. The Commercial & Procurement team is a proactive and consultative team that supports a range of directorates. We ensure the Council's commercial arrangements and contracts deliver value for money for Dorset residents.

This role is currently aligned to a Core Services Business Partner position, acting as a procurement advisor for corporate services across Dorset Council. You will support procurement activity across services including Finance, Revenues and Benefits, ICT, HR, Customer Experience, Governance and Transformation. You will lead the commissioning and delivery of high-value, complex procurement projects in line with the Procurement Act 2023.

The role also offers flexibility, with opportunities to support other directorates where required and contribute to wider priorities as Dorset Council evolves. Reorganisation is currently taking place across the Council, which may change the focus of the role. This makes it an exciting time to join the team and contribute during a period of transformation.

Candidates with a strong track record in public sector procurement, including delivering open tenders and framework call-offs, and a good comprehension of procurement regulations will be prioritised for interview. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute effectively from day one. We also welcome applications from candidates with broader experience in compliance, tendering and contract management.

You will oversee a range of procurement activities from initiation through to contract management. You will help ensure services are cost-effective, sustainable and aligned with the Council's objectives.

You will have excellent communication and negotiation skills, along with the ability to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders. You will be confident using ICT systems, ideally including the Proactis ProContract e-tendering system, and have strong Microsoft 365 skills, including Teams, Outlook, Word and Excel.

You will have strong attention to detail and be able to manage and prioritise several procurement projects at the same time.

You will act as a key point of contact for a variety of procurement activities across multiple service areas, providing support and advice to officers throughout the procurement process.

What You Will Be Doing

• Manage tender processes for directorate-specific requirements, ensuring best practice.
• Provide support and guidance to stakeholders.
• Offer procurement and commercial advice to officers and suppliers.
• Support stakeholders in achieving their strategic objectives.