JOB SUMMARY

Are you interested in contributing and helping to shape cutting edge scientific research that can make a difference to all our lives? UK Research & Innovation has multiple interesting opportunities for procurement professionals to join our Commercial team in delivering first class procurement services to the organisation!
UKRI Commercial is looking to build upon the past few years of growth and success and looks to develop further to ensure we continue to provide excellent commercial support to the organisation and support its continuous ambitious objectives. This is also at the time when the Procurement Act is bringing significant changes to the regulations that govern UK procurement, so it is an exciting time for UKRI Commercial! It also means that we are looking for people who may not necessarily have the level of public procurement experience we would usually look for, as we will all be learning the new Regulations together!
As a Procurement Manager, you will be joining an established, supportive team and will be involved in a wide variety of projects ranging from Research & Development, Scientific Facilities, Construction, and a variety of other Scientific Disciplines – plus the common goods and services that all organisations require. You will have the opportunity to shape commercial strategy, develop your own skills & experience, and contribute to projects that may have wide-ranging positive impacts for all.
The Procurement Manager roles support several different Research Councils sitting within UKRI at various sites. The currently available roles all sit within the Science & Technology Facilities Council.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

The UKRI Commercial Function provides a range of commercial support to the whole organisation. The majority of its effort is focussed on the management of the whole procurement cycle including planning, sourcing and contract management in a compliant manner while providing value for money.
We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic individual who enjoys bringing their skills and experience to all procurement projects they undertake. This role will manage a highly varied mix of stakeholders, and confidence & professional credibility are vital to ensure your presence and involvement is positively felt throughout the procurement lifecycle.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting
(I) – Assessed at interview
(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Undertake multiple procurement sourcing/contracting actions as required using the most appropriate route to market to deliver best value and compliance
• Provide expert procurement advice to local end-users including when procurement should be directed to the shared service centre
• Provide direction on local procurement issues as they arise, making decisions that will lead to added value for UKRI
• Involvement in local commercial assurance, planning and in-house Contract Management
• Confidently use relevant procurement systems to enable effective sourcing and contract management to deliver value for UKRI. Build collaborative relationships with local stakeholders, acting as initial escalation point for key decision making and medium value contract sign-off
• Use tools/techniques to assess relevant supply market, risks, level of competition, trends and new opportunities to inform market understanding
• Use MI and datasets to facilitate local commercial decision making and planning
• Maintain up to date project case folders for performance management and audit purposes
• Act as a role model of commercial professionalism within area of responsibility