Senior Procurement Advisor

Your new organisationSouthend-on-Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing essential services to the local community. With around 1,800 staff, we work alongside partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and improve the lives of Southend residents.

Working for Southend-on-Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment. We support flexible working practices to promote a positive work-life balance. As a Unitary Authority, we handle all local government functions, from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference. Your new roleSouthend - On- Sea City Council is seeking a Senior Procurement Advisor to join the Procurement team on a full-time, permanent basis. This role is offered on a hybrid basis, combining remote working with occasional office visits.

As a Senior Procurement Advisor, you will be responsible for the strategic Procurement lifecycle for People (Adults & Childrens), Public Health, Communities and Environment & Place Directorates. You will regularly audit, monitor and measure the team's performance to ensure they comply with the council's contract procedure rules, procurement toolkit (including utilising procurement systems), UK Public Procurement Regulations and any wider council policies.

You will also supervise, organise, line manage and coach a team of procurement advisors to:

• Collaborate with Corporate Directors and Heads of Service to deliver procurement and contract management requirements.
• Provide professional and proactive expert procurement advice, together with excellent customer service to internal and external customers.
• Delivering planned and unplanned procurements in accordance with the council's contract procedure rules, procurement strategy, procurement toolkit (including utilising procurement systems), UK Public Contract Regulations and any other Council policies.
• Deliver the annual procurement plan (agreed by cabinet) and organising contract management responsibilities
• Implement robust commercial and contractual terms in the best interests of the council 6. Deliver agreed savings targets
• Work in partnership with contract managers to performance manage contracts over a certain threshold by ensuring a regular review meetings actioned

While the role is primarily remote, you will be expected to attend monthly team meetings in Southend. We maintain a supportive and inclusive work environment, with flexible working arrangements to help you balance your professional and personal life. Our Team Charter guides our collaborative and supportive work culture.What you'll need to succeedTo be successful in this role, it is essential that you have extensive knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023, Provider Selection Regime & Public Contract Regulations 2015. It is essential that you have a good understanding of public sector / local government procurement, wider regional / national public procurement and the commercial world.

To be considered for this role you must be:

• Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or working towards or appropriate professional institute or relevant experience
• Project and Programme Management (Prince 2 methodology desirable)

What you'll get in returnWhen you join the Council, you can enjoy a range of benefits, including 25 days of annual leave, flexible working, and excellent training and development opportunities. We are committed to supporting you in this varied and challenging role with appropriate training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab.What you need to do nowIf you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. Please note that applications for this vacancy may close before the advertised date, so you are advised to apply as soon as possible. The Council is an equal-opportunities employer. We welcome applications regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age, or religion or belief.

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