Procurement Specialist

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 550 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research organisation in Pretoria seeks a Procurement Specialist to manage procurement activities in the Supply Chain Management portfolio. The role includes sourcing goods and services, ensuring compliance with procurement policies, and building strategic relationships with suppliers. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with at least five years of procurement experience in Professional Services, ICT, and construction projects. This role offers flexible hybrid work arrangements and competitive remuneration.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid work arrangement

Learning and development opportunities

Competitive salary packages

Pension fund contributions

CSIR Excellence Awards

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in procurement, especially in Professional Services, ICT, and construction.
• Familiarity with standard contracts including construction contracts and service-level agreements.
• Experience with e-procurement systems.

Responsibilities

• Source goods and services and manage supplier relationships.
• Analyze spend data and market intelligence.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and streamline processes.

Skills

Contract management

Strong sourcing

Negotiation skills

Attention to detail

Report writing

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent purchasing qualification

Job description

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is a leading scientific and technology research organisation that researches, develops, localises and diffuses technologies to accelerate socio-economic prosperity in South Africa. The organisation’s work contributes to industrial development and supports a capable state.

Procurement Specialist

Position level: Skilled and Junior Management
Location: Pretoria
Reports to: Procurement Manager

About The Job

The CSIR has a vacancy for Procurement Specialist in the Supply Chain Management portfolio. The incumbent will establish and maintain procurement activities on a day-to-day operational and transactional level.

Key Responsibilities

• Source goods and services, review and manage existing supplier relationships.
• Document and assess internal stakeholders’ business and sourcing objectives.
• Collect macro- and micro-level market intelligence and analyze spend data.
• Determine the total value of identified commodities and report accordingly to management.
• Source suppliers that meet the CSIR procurement criteria and ensure compliance with the CSIR’s B-BBEE policy and programme.
• Manage procurement transactional services ensuring reduction in purchase order cycle times and tracking supplier performance against targets.
• Assess and implement automation of processes to improve service delivery.
• Expedite orders to monitor quality, on‑time deliveries, preferential procurement and savings.
• Ensure effective and timely response to user calls related to orders and deliveries.
• Ensure the Procurement portfolio’s compliance with CSIR policies, procedures and IT standards focusing on standardisation of processes.
• Keep abreast with business systems and new developments.
• Manage procurement activities throughout the purchasing and supply chain.
• Ensure that purchasing activities are provided in a fair, equitable, transparent, cost-effective, efficient, and effective manner.
• Build strategic, professional, and ethical relationships with internal clients and the CSIR suppliers.
• Ensure buying activities support the CSIR’s supplier contracts and that the organisation’s strategic interests are considered in such relationships.
• Create cost savings opportunities from bulk buying, proper contract management, pooling of efforts and economies of scale.
• Accurate and timely reporting of relevant management information.

Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent three‑year purchasing qualification with at least five years of experience in procurement, specifically in Professional Services, ICT and construction related projects.
• Experience in working with a wide range of standard contracts, including construction contracts, and Supplier Agreements or Service‑level agreements (SLAs), with strong skills in overall contract management.
• Contract management skills, including experience with construction contracts, Supplier Agreements / Service Level Agreements and knowledge of e‑procurement systems.
• Thorough understanding of designated sector procurement and experience in managing construction‑related tenders.
• Good understanding and experience of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Report writing skills and ability to evaluate suppliers with a thorough understanding of business processes.
• Strong sourcing, buying, negotiation, planning, and organizing skills.
• High degree of accuracy, attention to detail, and problem‑solving ability.
• Ability to meet demanding deadlines and good interpersonal skills.

What’s in it for you?

The CSIR Offers

• Flexible hybrid work arrangement;
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Competitive and market‑related remuneration packages.
• Total guaranteed salary packages which encompass contributions to the pension fund, risk insurance and medical scheme.
• We openly acknowledge and reward our employees’ contributions and accomplishments through our esteemed CSIR Excellence Awards.

Closing date: 19 December 2025

PLEASE NOTE THAT FEEDBACK WILL BE GIVEN TO SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES ONLY.

For more info, please contact the CSIR Recruitment Centre on 012 841 4774 or email us at [e-mail]. Please do‑not send your application to this mailbox; it is only for inquiries.

The CSIR is an equal opportunity employer. As such, it is committed to the Employment Equity Act and will, through the filling of this vacancy, give preference to candidates from designated groups in terms of the Employment Equity Act. By applying for this position at the CSIR, the applicant understands, and agrees that the CSIR may solicit a credit and criminal report from a registered credit bureau and/or South African Police Services (in relation to positions that require trust and honesty and/or entail the handling of cash or finances), and may also verify the applicant’s educational qualification and employment history.

The CSIR reserves the right to remove the advertisement at any time before the stated closing date and it further reserves the right not to appoint if a suitable candidate is not identified.