Procurement Officer

North Northamptonshire Council; Geddington; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the United Kingdom seeks a Procurement Officer to enhance procurement activities within the People Services category. The successful candidate will have a background in procurement, excellent communication skills, and a willingness to learn about public sector processes. This role offers competitive salary, 28 days of leave plus bank holidays, and hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Pension scheme

Generous leave entitlement

Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Some procurement experience in social care or related fields.
• Enthusiasm for public sector procurement.
• Ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to procurement activity in People Services.
• Support the implementation of procurement strategies.
• Engage with departments to understand procurement needs.

Skills

Procurement experience

Good communication skills

IT skills

Tools

Word

Excel

MS Project

PowerPoint

Job description

Overview

North Northamptonshire Council are looking to recruit a Procurement Officer to join our procurement team, working in the People Services category. The successful candidate will report to a Procurement Manager and be part of an experienced team. The Procurement Team develops the Council-wide procurement policy and strategy and provides professional expertise and support to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement of goods, works and services for North Northamptonshire Council and The Northamptonshire Children’s Trust. The team provides advice and support to all frontline departments and lets and manages a range of corporate contracts on behalf of all departments. The Procurement remit is to transform how the Council and the Trust procures goods and services and to develop innovative procurement strategies and e-procurement solutions that enable more efficient processes, improved service contracts and a suite of common corporate contracts. Our values are Customer-focused, Respectful, Efficient, Supportive and Trustworthy, guiding our decision making and service delivery. We are committed to being an inclusive employer (Disability Confident) and to an interview process that is accessible for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. The Council also supports the Armed Forces community and has re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant (June 2024) with Silver status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, and is working towards Gold status.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to procurement activity within the People Services category and across the Council and The Northamptonshire Children’s Trust.
• Support the development and implementation of procurement policy, strategy and e-procurement solutions.
• Provide professional advice and support to improve procurement efficiency and effectiveness; assist in letting and managing a range of corporate contracts.
• Engage with front-line departments and stakeholders to understand needs and deliver appropriate procurement solutions.
• Manage multiple projects and tasks, coordinating with Procurement colleagues and other departments as required.

Qualifications and Skills

• Some procurement experience in any social care sector (education, children’s services, social care, public health) with knowledge of procurement processes including tendering.
• Enthusiasm for working in procurement and a willingness to learn about public sector procurement.
• Good oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with stakeholders, including senior roles.
• Good general IT skills and the ability to learn new systems quickly; computer literacy to intermediate level in Word, Excel, MS Project (Planner) and PowerPoint; knowledge of procurement electronic systems such as ERP.
• Ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders, procurement clients, customers and third parties; evidence of providing professional advice, support and guidance; enthusiasm for procurement.

Benefits and Working Arrangements

• Competitive salary and a pension scheme with employer contributions; life cover and ill-health protection.
• Generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) plus bank holidays, with option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to support work-life balance.
• Employee Assistance Programme, Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel at HMRC rates, and active Employee Network Groups.