Job Introduction
About us
Do you aspire to work in a welcoming, innovative, forward-thinking, inclusive and supportive organisation where you can also learn, develop and thrive? YPO might be the perfect fit for you!
For over 50 years, YPO has been dedicated to supporting the public sector. Our journey began five decades ago when 13 local authorities united to streamline their purchasing needs and enhance efficiency, forming the organisation we know today.
As an organisation that remains 100% publicly owned by our 13 member authorities, we reinvest our profits to deliver greater value for our public sector customers. To learn more about our organisation and culture, visit Start a career at YPO | YPO.
YPO is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and able to contribute their best. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and communities.
Where this role is advertised as full-time (37 hours per week), YPO are pleased to consider requests for flexible working arrangements, including part-time hours and job-share opportunities. We are committed to supporting work-life balance and encourage candidates to discuss their preferred working patterns with us.
About the Role
We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Contracts Officer to join our Contracts Team.
Reporting to the Contracts and Compliance Manager, the Contracts Officer will play a key role in supporting YPO’s contracting and public procurement activity. The role will involve the review, drafting, application and management of procurement and contract documentation, as well as providing practical guidance to procurement teams on procurement processes, interpretation of legislation, governance requirements and internal procedures.
The postholder will help ensure that procurement and contracting activity is carried out consistently, accurately and in line with relevant public procurement legislation, internal governance arrangements and best practice. The role is integral to YPO's compliance and assurance functions through the identification and mitigation of risk, the maintenance of robust documentation, and providing technical expertise across procurement and contracting activities.
This post is subject to the Fluency Duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016. The post-holder is required to demonstrate an appropriate level of fluency under the duty as detailed within the job description and specification for the post.
About You
As YPO continues to evolve and grow, we are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team. We are looking for someone with a strong interest in contracts and public procurement, and ideally some experience of working with procurement and contract documentation, procurement processes or governance requirements in a public sector or similarly regulated environment.
Drawing from the skills and experience section of the Job Description, we are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:
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CIPS qualification or studying towards this.
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Experience of contract drafting, review or application, ideally within a public sector context;
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An understanding of public procurement processes and/or procurement legislation;
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Ability to interpret and apply legislation, guidance or internal procedures;
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Good attention to detail and the ability to work with structured processes and documentation;
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Understanding of risk management, compliance and governance in relation to procurement and contracting activity;
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Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide practical advice and support to colleagues.
For a detailed description of the role and required skills, please refer to the job description attached below.
What’s in it for you?
We are proud to offer a fantastic range of benefits, including:
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Generous annual leave, from 24 days a year, plus 8 days statutory bank holidays and 3 discretionary closedown days at Christmas
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Local Government Pension through West Yorkshire Pension Fund
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Recognition of continuous service from current employment with a relevant public sector body may apply (please email [email protected] for further information)
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A comprehensive health and wellbeing package
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Flexi scheme and flexible working options available (please discuss your preferred working requirements with the manager at interview)
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Family friendly policies
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Cycle to Work scheme
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Subsidised canteen
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Free parking available
For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, or to discuss any support requirements during the recruitment process, please contact Anneliese Fothergill
at
[email protected]
Interviews are planned to take place week commencing 07 September 2026, in-person at our office in Wakefield.
