Procurement Manager (UK- Based)

SKA Observatory; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,966,000 - 2,840,000; Full time

Job summary

SKA Observatory is seeking a senior Procurement Manager to lead the UK procurement team and shape procurement strategy in alignment with our global policy framework. You will oversee end-to-end procurement across IT, construction, and services, ensuring value for money and compliance.

Based at the Jodrell Bank Office in Cheshire, the role involves international collaboration, safeguarding supplier relationships, and guiding negotiations from tender to contract.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership and direct line-management experience.
• MCIPS accreditation or working towards.
• Bachelor’s degree in procurement or related field.
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage, collaborate and influence stakeholders.
• Experience leading tenders and negotiations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English.

Responsibilities

• Lead the UK procurement team and develop procurement strategy in line with global policies.
• Oversee end-to-end procurement across categories (IT to Construction).
• Develop and edit contracts using SKAO templates and NEC4 where needed.
• Lead contract negotiations and support post-award issues.
• Represent procurement at senior-level international meetings.
• Produce regular procurement reports on spend, sustainability and supplier participation.
• Ensure procurement complies with SKAO Procurement Policy and procedures.
• Promote continuous improvement and policy development.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Procurement planning

Contract management

English communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Procurement

MCIPS accreditation or working towards

Tools

Unit4 ERP

Confluence

Microsoft Office

Google Drive

JIRA

Job description

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development.

More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.

Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide.

Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of a global astronomy and engineering community.

Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us!

Are you motivated by the idea of helping to deliver one of the most ambitious scientific projects in the world?

We’re looking for a Procurement Manager who will be a senior representative for Procurement Services in the UK reporting directly into the Head of Procurement and Insurance who is also based in the UK. The Procurement Manager will be responsible for leading and shaping procurement strategy whilst ensuring both local and global procurement activity is compliant with the SKAO’s defined policies and procedures.

At the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), we’re building something extraordinary — not just in science and engineering, but in the way we work together. Our procurement team plays a central role in turning vision into reality, ensuring that every contract, partnership, and purchase supports our mission to build and operate the world’s most advanced radio telescopes.

In South Africa, SKAO is collaborating with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) to support the construction and operations of the SKA-Mid Telescope. In Australia, SKAO is collaborating with CSIRO, the national science agency, to support the construction and operations of the SKA-Low Telescope.

The Role

In this role, you will lead procurement planning and delivery, working closely with senior stakeholders, international research organisations, suppliers, and the wider procurement team. You will lead the SKAO Procurement Team in the UK and be responsible for overall team performance and development, with direct line management of a small team.

You will bring a strong combination of commercial acumen, strategic insight, and leadership, ensuring that every contract, partnership, and procurement activity aligns with SKAO’s mission, values and Procurement Policy and Manual. You will oversee the end-to-end procurement of various contracts, both high and low value and complexity, ensuring compliance, transparency, and demonstrable value for money.

The role requires strategic leadership and is expected to drive forward broader procurement initiatives that help to champion SKAO’s values and support the transition from a focus on high-value, complex construction and engineering contracts towards a high-volume transactional procurement environment. SKAO has recently implemented Proactis as its sourcing, supplier relationship management and contract management software, to enable greater efficiency of low-value, high-volume procurement actions and as a senior team member you will be required to optimise procurement’s use of the system.

This will be a hands-on procurement role, requiring you to allocate work effectively amongst the UK team whilst personally overseeing a range of end to end procurement actions from low to high complexity and value. This includes procurement actions across all procurement categories (from IT right through to Construction) and includes supporting international tenders as required for both Australia and South Africa. This provides an excellent opportunity to lead a broad range of procurements across multiple sectors and regions.

As a senior member of the SKAO procurement function, you will champion continuous improvement, contribute to the development of procurement policies and frameworks, and support the professional growth of team members. You will promote best practice in supplier engagement, tendering, and contract management, supporting SKAO’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and sustainability.

The role plays a key part in managing SKAO’s external stakeholders, with key contact points being the SKAO Member countries’ Industry Liaison Officers, government departments and major government funded research bodies. SKAO’s procurement practices must take into account the social and economic return to its Member countries.

Based at the Jodrell Bank Office in Cheshire, UK this role may include occasional national and international travel to suppliers and SKAO sites (typically for one week, a couple of times per year).

SKAO is committed to fostering an inclusive and flexible working environment that values diversity and collaboration. We welcome applications from under-represented groups, including women and individuals with disabilities, and encourage open dialogue during the recruitment process about any specific requirements.

There may be occasions where this role requires work across different time zones, and in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.

Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties

• Lead the SKAO Procurement Team in the UK, with responsibility for overall team performance, work allocation, coaching and development, including direct line management of a small team.
• Lead initiatives to develop and enhance the SKAO procurement function, including the development and maintenance of procurement policies, embedding sustainability across the global procurement lifecycle, strengthening local supplier participation, and improving procurement processes, reporting tools, culture, and ways of working.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, including research funding bodies, government agencies, and partner research institutions, to develop and deliver effective procurement strategies and plans.
• Provide expert procurement advice and guidance to support informed decision-making, resolve issues efficiently, and ensure all activities meet legal, regulatory, quality, and value-for-money requirements.
• Lead end-to-end procurement activities for contracts of varying value and complexity, including developing procurement timelines, identifying commercial risks and mitigation strategies, and managing procurement procedures in accordance with the SKAO Procurement Manual.
• Develop and edit specific contracts and agreements between the SKA and its supplier organisations, usually within a reasonably well-defined framework or with standard provisions. This often involves using standard SKAO Purchase Order Terms and Conditions templates, as well as NEC4 templates with specific Z clauses as needed.
• Lead contract negotiations and support project managers to resolve contract management issues arising post-award.
• Develop and present attractive procurement award recommendations to the SKAO's Procurement Subcommittee and In-Kind Review Subcommittee.
• Represent the SKAO procurement function at senior-level international meetings.
• Produce regular and ad hoc procurement reports on key performance indicators such as spend, sustainability, and local supplier participation, providing analysis, insights, and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Ensure local procurement is carried out in compliance with the SKAO Procurement Policy and associated procedure notes, and represent Procurement Services locally in matters related to tendering for high value contracts for goods, services and works.
• Managing local insurance policies and claims as required.
• Deputise for the Head of Procurement Services and Insurance as required.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the line manager.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated leadership and direct line-management experience, with a strong track record of developing, coaching, and improving team performance.
• MCIPS Professional Accreditation or working towards the completion of.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Business Management, Procurement, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience demonstrating a strong background in procurement.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the credibility and professionalism to engage, collaborate and influence a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver procurement outcomes within challenging timescales and organisational objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, constructively challenge and influence stakeholders in high-pressure and time-critical procurement situations, balancing compliance, risk, and requirements to deliver compliant procurement outcomes within tight timescales whilst maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.
• Extensive experience leading a broad range of low to high-value and low to high complexity tenders and successful completion of commercial and contractual negotiations.
• Experience promoting procurement best practice, including identifying opportunities to improve processes, implement more efficient ways of working, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English with the ability to confidently explain and document complex contractual concepts to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to interpret policies and procedures and take ownership of procurement processes to ensure effective, compliant, and value-driven outcomes for the organisation.
• High standards of integrity and professional ethics, with the ability to manage confidential information responsibly.
• Be a flexible, efficient and self-motivated team player who is adaptable to change and able to work with minimal supervision.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge or experience of NEC4 suite of contracts.
• Familiarity with the landscape of major science research infrastructure projects and organisations, their processes, challenges, and the novel solutions that are often applied, such as in-kind contributions and fair work return
• Familiarity with ERP systems such as Unit4 and working with tools such as Confluence, Microsoft Office suite, Google Drive, and JIRA.
• Experience of reporting to and co-ordinating activities with colleagues who are working remotely, ideally both locally and internationally.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory’s agenda.

Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background.

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants.

Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided.

SKA Observatory welcome all candidates, especially those from member countries.

The "How to Apply" information contained within the SKA Observatory recruitment portal provides more detail regarding our application and selection approach.