On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Procurement Manager x 2 for a 6 months (Inside IR35) contract working on a hybrid basis and with an expectation of 3 days attendance in the Leeds, Manchester or Blackpool offices with Leeds the office preference. Travel may be required. (Candidates must live within a commutable distance of Leeds, ideally within approximately one hour of travel.)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.
Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:
- Help people to move into work and support those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
- Help people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
- Provide effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
- Improve experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer.
The role:
We are looking for two experienced Procurement Managers to join a public sector organisation based in Leeds. These roles will support a combination of BAU procurement activity and programme delivery, with a key focus on managing procurement activity, supplier relationships and the wider supply base. One contractor is expected to support the BAU team initially, while the second will work directly on a programme of work.
Candidates must live within a commutable distance of Leeds, ideally within approximately one hour of travel.
As a Procurement Manager, your main responsibilities will be to:
- Lead and manage end-to-end procurement and sourcing activities within a regulated public sector environment.
- Develop and deliver sourcing strategies in line with organisational requirements and commercial objectives.
- Manage procurement processes from initial requirement through to contract award and implementation.
- Prepare and manage tender documentation, including specifications, evaluation criteria and procurement documentation.
- Ensure procurement activity complies with relevant public sector procurement legislation, frameworks and commercial governance.
- Apply knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) and Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).
- Manage contracts and support effective contract performance throughout the supplier lifecycle.
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, including monitoring supplier performance and service delivery.
- Support the consolidation and rationalisation of the existing supply base into a more manageable supplier portfolio.
- Engage with suppliers throughout the procurement lifecycle and support effective supplier negotiations.
- Work closely with internal stakeholders to understand requirements and provide professional procurement and commercial advice.
- Analyse commercial, procurement and supplier data to identify trends, risks, savings and opportunities for improvement.
- Support procurement activity relating to external resourcing, contingent labour and workforce-related commercial services where required.
- Manage multiple procurement workstreams and priorities across both programme and BAU activity.
- Prepare clear reports, analysis and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
- Support continuous improvement across procurement, sourcing, contract management and supplier management.
- Use systems including Atamis and Microsoft Office applications to manage procurement activity, reporting and stakeholder communications.
Essential:
- Strong experience working as a Procurement Manager, Commercial Manager or Senior Procurement Professional.
- Significant public sector procurement experience.
- Strong end-to-end sourcing and procurement experience.
- Experience managing procurement activity within a regulated environment.
- Contract management experience.
- Strong supplier relationship and supplier performance management experience.
- Experience preparing and managing tender documentation and running procurement processes.
- Knowledge or practical experience of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23).
- Experience working with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships across multiple business areas.
- Experience working with suppliers and managing supplier engagement throughout the procurement lifecycle.
- Experience analysing procurement, commercial or supplier data to identify risks and opportunities.
- Experience managing multiple priorities across complex procurement or commercial programmes.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present procurement recommendations clearly to a range of stakeholders.
- Strong organisational and planning skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
- Strong commercial awareness, problem-solving skills and a continuous improvement mindset.
- Ability to commute to Leeds within approximately one hour.
Desirable:
- Experience supporting or developing business cases.
- Experience procuring or managing external resourcing, contingent labour or workforce-related services.
- Experience procuring digital resources or digital services.
- Previous experience using Atamis.
- Advanced Excel skills for commercial analysis and reporting.
- Experience preparing senior stakeholder presentations using PowerPoint.
- Experience supporting supply base consolidation, supplier rationalisation or supplier portfolio management.
- Experience working across both complex programmes and BAU procurement activity.
- Knowledge of public sector framework agreements.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.
Disability Confident
As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
Armed Forces Covenant
DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".
