Procurement Specialist

bpha; Bedford; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

bpha, Bedford-based housing association, is seeking a proactive Procurement Specialist to enhance data-driven procurement, maximise value for money and embed social value. The role collaborates with stakeholders and reports to the Head of Procurement in a hybrid Bedford setting.

With 5+ years in procurement within the public or housing sector, you will analyse spends, manage supplier performance, and ensure governance and compliance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in procurement/commercial role within housing association or public sector.
• Experience working with spend analysis data and producing management information for decision making.
• Knowledge of KPI reporting and governance, and of Procurement Act 2023.
• Experience supporting procurement exercises from planning to award.

Responsibilities

• Analyse spends, contract data, supplier performance and compliance to drive insights.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and assurance packs for senior leadership.
• Support contract and supplier management, including performance monitoring.
• Maintain central contracts register with accurate data and useful reporting.
• Support end-to-end procurement exercises from tendering to contract mobilisation.

Skills

Spend analysis

Procurement analytics

Governance & compliance

Data reporting

Education

CIPS qualification

Degree-level education

Tools

Contract management

Job description

Bedford, Hybrid This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a more data-driven approach to procurement, helping to improve value for money, manage risk effectively, and embed best practice across the organisation. You’ll work closely with stakeholders across the business, providing expert procurement support while championing social and environmental value.

£60,000pa FTE (£45,000 prorated) Full Time, 9-months Fixed Term Bedford, Hybrid

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a more data-driven approach to procurement, helping to improve value for money, manage risk effectively, and embed best practice across the organisation. You’ll work closely with stakeholders across the business, providing expert procurement support while championing social and environmental value.

We are looking for a proactive and analytical Procurement Specialist to support the delivery of a compliant, value-driven procurement function. Reporting to the Head of Procurement, you will play a key role in enhancing the use of data to support decision-making, strengthening governance and compliance and delivering procurement activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyse procurement spends, contract data, supplier performance, and compliance information to drive insights
• Develop and maintain reporting dashboards and assurance packs for senior leadership and governance forums
• Assist in contract and supplier management, including performance monitoring and risk identification
• Maintain a central contracts register, ensuring accurate data, and useful dashboard reporting
• Support the delivery of end‑to‑end procurement exercises, including tendering, evaluation, award, and contract mobilisation
• Ensure procurement activities comply with relevant regulations, internal policies, and best practice
• Provide practical procurement advice and guidance to stakeholders across the organisation
• Contribute to achieving value for money through robust analysis and commercial evaluation
• Support the integration of social value and sustainability within procurement activities
• Identify, assess, and support mitigation of procurement‑related risks
• Manage contract renewal processes and support drafting of contract documentation
• Ensure appropriate due diligence checks are completed for new suppliers

Person Specification

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret data and provide insights
• Ability to apply procurement knowledge in a practical and compliant way
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities to deadlines
• Proactive, flexible mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
• High attention to detail and commitment to governance, assurance, and compliance

Knowledge & Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in a procurement or commercial role within a Housing Association or other public sector environment
• Experience working with spend analysis data, contract and non-contract spend, and producing management information reporting to support decision‑making
• Enhance reporting and compliance monitoring by developing a full KPI suite
• Good understanding of procurement regulations and governance - knowledge of Procurement Act 2023
• Experience supporting or leading procurement exercises from planning through to award
• Understanding of value for money, social value, and risk within procurement

Qualifications

• CIPS qualified or working towards qualification
• Degree‑level education or equivalent professional experience
• Relevant sector knowledge

Please note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

About Bpha

bpha is a leading Housing Association in the Oxford to Cambridge arc, providing high-quality, affordable homes and services. We own or manage over 19,500 properties and reinvest all income into improving homes, building new ones, and supporting communities. Our vision is to build places where people can live happily in homes they can afford, guided by value that shape everything we do.

Benefits

We believe that benefits should be more than just perks. For us, they aren’t simply little extras added on at the end, they’re fundamental parts of what we stand for, from the very beginning. As standard.

That’s why at bpha, we reward our employees by making sure we give them a supportive and caring environment, that empowers them to be happy, healthy and inspired, every day.

Our full benefits offering can be found here: https://www.bpha.org.uk/about-us/bpha-colleague-benefits/139/