Procurement Specilaist

Essex Cares Limited; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mileage allowance 55p per mile

Up to 32 days annual leave

Fully paid induction and training

Career development opportunities with;

Annual salary reviews

Annual performance-related bonus

Pension - Enhanced NEST 6%

Healthcare support scheme

Employee loyalty scheme

Referral bonus up to £350

Blue Light Card

Mental health first aiders

Membership reimbursement

Job summary

Essex Cares Limited is seeking an experienced Procurement Specialist to lead strategic sourcing, drive value and build strong supplier partnerships across the organisation. You will manage end-to-end procurement activities and provide expert guidance to ensure compliant, effective processes.

The role is based at the Chelmsford Head Office with hybrid remote working across sites in Essex; salary £40,000 - £47,000 per annum, 37 hours per week, permanent contract, and a comprehensive benefits

Qualifications

• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Level 4 or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Knowledge of procurement law.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Leading end-to-end procurement and tendering activities for goods, works and services.
• Producing procurement documentation to support tender evaluations and award recommendations.
• Conducting market research and benchmarking to inform category strategies.
• Providing expert procurement guidance to colleagues, managers and suppliers.
• Developing relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders for effective contract management.
• Supporting delivery of category plans in line with organisational priorities.
• Ensuring compliance with legislation, regulations and policies.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Analytical abilities

Problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Microsoft Excel

Full driving licence

Education

CIPS Level 4 or equivalent

Knowledge of procurement law

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Salary:£40,000 - £47,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Location: The role is primarily based at ECL Head Office in Chelmsford but will work remotely (hybrid) including working flexibly across other ECL sites in Essex as and when required.

Hours:37

Contract:Permanent

Are you an experienced procurement professional with a passion for delivering value, driving strategic sourcing, and building strong supplier partnerships?

We are looking for a proactive and commercially minded Procurement Specialist to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering a consistent, strategic approach to procurement across the organisation. You will contribute to achieving excellent commercial outcomes while ensuring robust systems, processes, and governance are in place to support business objectives.

As a key member of the team, you will work collaboratively with stakeholders across the organisation, providing expert procurement advice and leading procurement activities that deliver quality, value for money, and sustainable outcomes.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading end-to-end procurement and tendering activities for goods, works, and services.
• Producing high-quality procurement documentation to support tender evaluations and award recommendations.
• Conducting market research and benchmarking to identify opportunities, drive innovation, and inform category strategies.
• Providing expert guidance and up-to-date procurement advice to colleagues, managers, and suppliers.
• Developing strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure effective contract and supplier management.
• Supporting the delivery of category plans and procurement strategies that align with organisational priorities and objectives.
• Ensuring all procurement activities are compliant with relevant legislation, regulations, and organisational policies.

About You

To be considered as a Procurement Specialist, you need:

Key Skills and Competence

• Supportive of change, showing flexibility and reliability at all times.
• Strong negotiation, communication, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Work collaboratively across structural boundaries as part of cross functional teams, and in support of key functional outputs.
• Detail-oriented and be able to build strong relationships with both internally and with external suppliers.
• High level competence in Microsoft excel and other office packages.

Education and qualification

• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) minimum Level 4 or equivalent knowledge and experience in a centralised procurement environment preferably within the public sector.
• Knowledge of procurement law.

Skills and Experience (all essential)

• Commercially focused with a keen eye for detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational, time management and communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Full driving licence and access to a car to travel to other ECL sites.

What we can offer you as a Procurement Specialist:

• 55p paid per mile tax-free
• Up to 32 days annual leave a year (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Fully paid induction and training with ongoing support
• Career development opportunities with access to paid for qualifications
• Annual salary reviews
• Annual performance-related bonus
• Enhanced DBS and renewals paid for by ECL
• Company pension - Enhanced contributory NEST scheme - we contribute up to 6%
• Healthcare support scheme via Healthshield paid for by ECL
• Employee Loyalty Scheme with long service awards
• Enhanced employee referral program - earn up to £350 for referring a friend
• Access to Blue Light Card
• Mental health first aiders in every service
• Reimbursement of professional membership related to your role

ECL reserve the right to close this vacancy early depending on application numbers.

About Us

At ECL, we offer care and support to thousands of people to live safely and independently within their own homes and local communities in South East England.We provide high quality social care services in Essex, London Borough of Havering, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham and West Sussex aimed at wellbeing, prevention and increasing independence.

Our vision is to transform lives, empowering independence through care excellence for all. We're looking for talented individuals who share our values of caring, excellence, integrity and teamwork, and are driven to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of others.

We are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourage applications from suitable candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

We are proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme which helps to employ, support and promote disabled people in the workplace.

Please note that while ECL does hold a visa sponsor licence, we do not currently accept direct applications from candidates requiring visa sponsorship. Instead, we work with a designated third-party provider to support sponsorship arrangements. Therefore, applicants who do not already have the right to work in the UK and/or require visa sponsorship to continue working in the UK cannot be considered for this role through direct application.