Procurement Officer

Essex County Council; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Chelmsford is seeking a Procurement Officer to support the procurement function across various projects. This role involves managing supplier relationships, ensuring compliance with procurement regulations, and leading low-risk sourcing processes. The ideal candidate should have strong analytical skills, a detail-focused approach, and experience in public sector procurement. This position allows for remote working with a commitment to presence in the office one day a week.

Qualifications

• Experience of running low-value tenders and managing lower-value contracts.
• Solid working knowledge of public sector procurement law.
• Detail-focused with a strong commitment to compliance and auditability.

Responsibilities

• Manage and respond to supplier queries, coordinating support to market engagement.
• Lead on delivery and development of contract and supplier amendments.
• Ensure compliance with the Authority's Procurement Policy and Procedures.

Skills

Proficient in Microsoft Excel

Strong analytical skills

Strong relationship-building skills

Education

CIPS accreditation (either studying for or willing to study)

Job description

This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office, in Chelmsford, 1 days per week, with the remaining time allowing for remote working if desired, in line with the organisation's need., The Procurement Officer will play a key role in supporting the Procurement function across a broad range of activities, within the Economy, Capital and Indirect Services procurement team. The role will contribute to the effective delivery of projects for housing & construction, facilities management, sustainable growth and indirect services. Key responsibilities include managing and responding to supplier and contractor enquiries, supporting market engagement and pre-market activities, and providing contract administration across projects. The role will also assist with lower-value sourcing, tendering, and contract management tasks, ensuring compliance with procurement regulations and framework governance. The Procurement Officer will help produce research and analysis to inform category strategies, including supply chain insights, cost analysis, and opportunities for improved supplier or framework performance. The individual will actively identify ways to streamline processes, reduce waste, and introduce technologies or automation where possible, while remaining compliant with existing contractual and framework constraints. Success in the role will rely on strong analytical skills and the ability to explore alternative solutions that meet stakeholder needs across construction, development, and housing delivery projects. This is an excellent opportunity for someone wanting to build specialist expertise in public-sector procurement while supporting meaningful development programmes across Essex. Accountabilities

Accountabilities

• Manage responses to supplier queries, co-ordinating the support to market engagement events and providing contract administration.
• Lead on the delivery and development of contract and supplier amendment and update processes including, contract novations, price uplifts and on boarding new suppliers to ECC, liaising with internal and external stakeholders as appropriate.
• Manage contracts to ensure that performance standards are achieved and any contractual, commercial or market risks are identified and appropriate mitigations put in place.
• Deal effectively with supplier correspondence, ensuring that messaging is conducted in a fair, transparent and auditable manner.
• Lead the delivery of low risk sourcing processes, ensuring compliance with the Authority's Procurement Policy and Procedures.
• Lead the development, planning, and delivery of improvement projects, ensuring effective stakeholder management and compliance with existing contractual requirements.
• Adopt a continuous improvement approach to systems and processes to support the development of best practice for wider department benefit.
• Plan and implement a risk-based programme of contract compliance audits in conjunction with specialist areas of the organisation such as Internal Audit, Corporate Health and Safety, Corporate Risk, and Information Governance.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework. Demonstrates a positive and proactive approach, with a strong work ethic and a "can-do" attitude.
• Problem-solving mindset, with the ability to explore alternative solutions that meet internal customer needs.
• Detail-focused, with a strong commitment to accuracy, compliance, and auditability.
• Strong relationship-building skills, able to work collaboratively with colleagues across capital delivery, housing development, and project management teams.

Desirable Criteria

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, with solid working knowledge of PowerPoint and Word.
• Studying for, or willing to study for, CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) accreditation.
• Experience of running low-value tenders, with a working knowledge of public sector procurement law.
• Experience in managing lower-value contracts, monitoring performance, and mitigating risks.