Procurement Officer - Data & Insight

Fixed Term, Full Time

Up to £29,058 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 4th May 2021

This position will initially, in line with current government guidance be based from home, with an expectation of being home based for the foreseeable future. However, if / when government guidelines change the role may then revert to being office based, which we would foresee as being a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 2 days out of 5 being Chelmsford based and we would welcome applications from candidates outside of a traditional commutable distance of Chelmsford.

Job Purpose

The Procurement Officer will support the Procurement function in various aspects, including managing and fielding supplier queries, supporting market engagement events, providing contract administration, as well as working on lower level sourcing and contract management activities. The Procurement Officer will also support the delivery of research and analysis which informs category plans and potential improvements to the management of suppliers and markets. The individual will seek opportunities to remove waste, implement technologies and automate processes within existing contractual restrictions.

This role is specifically within the Procurement Data and Insight Team and therefore must have an interest or some level of experience with managing data, reporting or analysis of information, ideally having used Power Bi previously. The role will be to support the development of reporting dashboard to support the understanding and shaping of our suppliers and market.

The role requires good analytical skills to explore alternative solutions which meet customer requirements.

Why work with us?

• Make a difference to the local community, be that infrastructure, climate change or adult social care and help us transform Essex to a circular economy as we redefine growth and focus on positive society-wide benefits.
• We are a very large procurement team with circa 120 staff and have seen the department grow by 25% over the last 18 months. Annual Spend of £1.2 billion.
• We are the only CIPS accredited County Council in the UK.
• We are the largest Local Authority Procurement Team in the UK and have a national reputation for excellence.
• Work for a high performing team with great team morale and friendly, helpful, and supportive colleagues.
• Happy to consider Public and Private sector backgrounds.
• Great training pathways. Encouragement to all staff for their continual professional development with full support and guidance towards CIPS / MCIPS.
• Flexible working - with no official start or finish time you can make your work arrangement work around the other elements of your life offering a fantastic work / life balance.
• Local Authority Pension Scheme. For more details please visit: https://www.essexpensionfund.co.uk/
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holiday.
• 37 hour working week.
• Continuous Service - Joining us from another local authority? Then you could benefit from bringing your time served and benefits with you.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to 'A' Level standard and/or qualification by experience of working in a commercial environment.
• Experience of using Power Bi or a willingness to pick this up on the job, at speed.
• Experience of running low level tenders with a working knowledge of public sector procurement law and experience of managing lower level contracts and monitoring and improving performance and mitigating risks
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel. Solid working knowledge of PowerPoint and MS Word.
• Appreciation of working in a political environment and an ability to understand and respond to different perspectives.
• Strong communication; verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Strong customer focus with a drive to provide a valued service.
• A positive attitude: a 'can do' approach, good work ethic and willingness to learn
• Interest in pursuing a career in procurement and either studying for or wishing to study for CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) accreditation.