Job Description

Job Title: Procurement Services Manager

Start Date: 9th March 2026

End Date: 31st August 2026

Hours: 37 hours per week (Full Time)

Location: Cambridge or Chelmsford campus

Hourly Rate: £20.10 per hour

Please note this opportunity is not open to students.

Job Purpose: To work closely with all Faculties and Professional Services across campuses, to provide appropriate guidance to enable successful procurement, analysing procurement needs, preparing procurement plans, establishing stakeholder service standards, benchmarking, monitoring supplier performance, tendering and contract review

Principal Accountabilities:

• Work within a small team to provide customer-focused professional procurement service to our stakeholders.
• Communicate and achieve customer buy-in to our procurement strategy.
• Advise and provide guidance on complex procurement matters in accordance with our established procedures and regulations.
• Create tender and other procurement specifications including Frameworks.
• Lead and/or facilitate cross functional teams in targeted reviews to improve procurement practices.
• Develop mechanisms to monitor and improve the performance of suppliers.
• Evaluate supplier responses, arrange supplier presentations and related administration in conjunction with the Head and Deputy Head of Procurement.
• Responsible for writing and ensuring Terms and Conditions are completed and signed after Procurement exercises have been completed.
• Monitor performance of existing contracts by arranging contract reviews and reviewing Key Performance Indicators.
• Analyse procurement needs by considering management data on spend information obtained from our finance system Business World and via Qlik model.
• Complete statutory returns and external requests for information for the areas covered by this job description.
• Ensure legal compliance in all work in areas covered by this job description (including Public Sector Procurement Legislation).
• Provide professional advice and expertise in order to make recommendations within professional guidelines to support informed decision making.
• Employ a pro-active approach to continuous improvement by making recommendations to improve established administrative working practices.
• Be responsible for planning and prioritising own workload to contribute to the achievement of the Professional Service's objectives as well as maintaining and improving efficiency.
• Organise and resolve issues and queries independently and providing Procurement advice on procedures and related matters to staff at all levels.
• Be the point of contact for Procurement processes, systems, and procedures for procurement.
• Arrange and attend meetings with internal and external customers on behalf of the Professional Service and provide cover in the absence of the Head and Deputy Head of Procurement.
• Ensure accuracy and attention to professional guidelines and university policy.
• Be responsible for effectively transferring skills to others through training.
• Use of on-line systems including e-tendering (In-Tend) and financial system (Business World).

Person Specification:

• Degree and appropriate level of experience and evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the role OR
• Part qualified in a relevant professional qualification and appropriate level of experience and evidence of continuing professional development

Previous experience:

• Procurement regulations and providing specialist Procurement knowledge in a Procurement environment
• Managing tendering procedures, including Public Sector requirements
• Creation of tender documentation
• Drafting contracts
• Working with a customer focussed emphasis
• Experience of analysing and resolving problems through detailed manipulation and analysis of information
• Experience of analysing data and writing reports

Knowledge/Skills:

• Detailed understanding of the standards and regulations relating to UK Public Sector Procurement
• Ability to deliver high standard of service and meet customer needs
• Ability to successfully resolve complex issues and queries
• Ability to effectively plan and organise complex activities
• Ability to build relationships and drive positive change
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to navigate complex situations effectively and determine the best course of action
• IT literate and sound knowledge of Microsoft Office

Please apply online with a CV and covering letter.

Application close date: Thursday 26th February, 9am

Interview Date: Tuesday 3rd March - the interviews will be in person on Chelmsford campus

Only successful candidates will be contacted due to the number of applications received.