Senior Governance Compliance and Systems Officer

at  BCP Council

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Please structure your application as follows:

• Personal Summary - please provide an overview of your experience
• Skills and competencies - please describe how you meet each criteria detailed within “The Ideal Candidate”
• Experience - please describe your experience against each of the numbered criteria detailed within “Main Responsibilities”

ROLE PURPOSE

We are seeking a Senior Governance, Compliance, and Systems Officer who will be responsible for managing the governance, compliance, and systems functions within the council’s procurement and contract management service. The post holder will manage a small team of specialists to ensure that all procurement activities comply with legal requirements, council policies, and best practice standards. They will oversee the effective management of procurement systems and provide strategic guidance and support to ensure that procurement and contract management processes are transparent, accountable, and aligned with the council’s objectives.
The role involves seeking and developing relationships with key stakeholders to achieve collective objectives and help to overcome any barriers to joint working.
The post holder will ensure timely and effective resolution of governance, compliance, or system-related issues within procurement activities.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Governance:

• Manage the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the council’s governance framework for procurement and contract management, ensuring alignment with local and national regulations (e.g. Public Contracts Regulations 2015).
• Ensure that procurement decisions are made in line with the council’s strategic priorities, financial regulations, and governance protocols.
• Prepare, review, and present governance reports and recommendations for senior management, procurement board, and audit reviews, contributing to strategic decision-making and ensuring that all procurement activities are well-documented and transparent.
• Provide recommendations to senior leadership on governance and procurement-related issues, including risk management, audit findings, and regulatory changes.
• Advise on risk assessments for procurement and contract management, ensuring appropriate controls and mitigations are in place.

Compliance:

• Take responsibility for ensuring compliance with all relevant procurement and contract management legislation, including monitoring changes in law and best practices.
• Oversee the audit and regular review of the operating framework and associated standard operating procedures (SOPs), identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions where necessary to ensure SOPs are updated in line with changing laws and best practice.
• Ensure compliance with ethical standards in procurement, including adherence to anti-bribery, modern slavery, and sustainability requirements.
• Act as a key point of contact for regulatory bodies and external auditors, providing evidence and reports as needed to demonstrate compliance.
• Monitor and report on service level key performance indicators (KPIs).

Systems Management:

• Oversee the administration and optimisation of procurement and contract management systems, ensuring they meet the council’s operational needs and governance requirements.
• Manage the deployment and improvement of digital tools and platforms used for contract management and procurement processes, liaising with the IT team where required.
• Ensure accurate data management within procurement systems, supporting the council’s data protection and information governance frameworks (including GDPR).
• Manage the integration and automation of procurement processes to streamline workflows and improve overall efficiency.

Team Management Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:

• Manage and support a small team of specialists, ensuring that they are effectively trained, developed, supported, and working towards clear objectives.
• Accountable for the delivery and performance of own team against current and future objectives
• Make evidence based and outcome focussed decisions using proactive risk management to ensure the quality of the service is maintained
• Work in partnership with other areas (e.g., Legal, Finance, IT) to identify, recommend, and develop improvements to the efficiency and continuity of own service whilst ensuring practices align with broader council objectives and legal requirements.
• Encourage and recognise creativity and innovation in own team in relation to business as usual
• Liaise with external suppliers and contractors to ensure that they understand and comply with the council’s requirements.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to review supplier performance and ensure contract management meets required standards of service delivery and value for money.