Procurement and Contract Specialist (12 Month Maternity Cover)

Responsibilities:

• Manage the set-up/migration of the contract database from our external procurement provider back to in-house
• Populate and manage key databases (preferred supplier database, contract database ensuring they are kept accurate and up-to-date)
• Issue timely termination and renewal notices to suppliers as required and dictated by the contract database and budget holders
• Consult with budget holders and finance in seeking approval for termination and renewal of contracts
• Take ownership of proactive maintenance of the contract database, ensuring all details captured are accurate
• Run credit checks and support additional due diligence supplier checks
• Complete contract cover sheet and obtain sign off from relevant stakeholders on all new medium/high risk supplier contracts
• Generate periodic reports of all contracts raised and subject to expiry in 12 months and undertake necessary actions
• Ensure that all contracts and legal correspondences are filed electronically and ensure an auditable trail for supplier documentation is maintained
• Draft and circulate minutes and arising actions at stakeholder/supplier meetings
• Contribute to reducing costs through competitive negotiation and supplier sourcing whilst ensuring top quality standards are met through on going supplier relationship management and probity
• Serve the firm in its end to end sourcing endeavours
• Work closely with the external procurement provider, and contribute to deliverables where required
• Evaluate supplier performance, risks, pricing, and contract terms, and attend supplier meetings in support of business owners
• Understand end user requirements and strive for continuous improvement and innovation in the supply chain
• A timely management of the stakeholder decision making process for contract renewals or termination, escalating non-responses to management to mitigate against risk of auto renewals
• Act as a key contact point both internally and externally for suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Preparation of pre-contract and contract documentation, including ITTs, RFPs, RFIs, RFQ’s, SoW’s
• Efficient planning, delivery and execution of an end to end procurement activity; PQQ’s through to ITT’s including support in scoping requirements and performing due diligence and commercial eligibility checks
• Develop and undertake an agreed agile sourcing strategies which is consistent with the firm’s Procurement policy
• Identify and pre-qualify and vet suppliers Review, negotiate and agree terms and conditions with suppliers, ensuring best value is attained for the firm
• Undertake and assess credit checks, privacy impact assessments, and other due diligence checks and assessments on existing and new key and critical suppliers
• Collaborate with security and privacy teams for seeking approvals concerning supplier information security checks
• Collaborate with key support teams in ensuring due diligence checks on suppliers are undertaken prior to supplier on-boarding
• Collaborate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to successfully deliver procurement and contracting objectives

Contract Responsibilities:

• Review contractual terms and conditions, identifying any potential risks, and advising stakeholders appropriately
• Negotiate and agree supplier terms and conditions directly with suppliers and mitigate against risks
• Ensure best value in terms of price and quality is obtained in negotiations
• Understand all elements of the contracts under draft and management
• Identify changes required and use the appropriate change control mechanisms to keep contracts up to date throughout the contract life cycle
• Ensure that the prices charged are in line with the contractual terms, and reconciling invoices against agreements when required
• Compile and maintain spend information against budget as required
• Attend periodic operational and quarterly strategic review meetings as required
• In collaboration with relevant stakeholders co-manage an assigned portfolio of key and critical business suppliers
• Ensure spend contracts continue to meet the needs of the firm and undertake annual due diligence review of key and critical suppliers
• Prepare change control paperwork
• Monitor critical and key supplier performance against the agreed KPI targets and formalise remediation of breaches, and issue relevant formal correspondences as and when required
• Draft and issue timely contract renewal and termination notices

Personal and professional qualities:

Essential:

• Ideally you should be qualified or have demonstrable work based experience
• Good working knowledge of contractual laws including GDPR, information security, TUPE
• Ability to develop highly effective working relationships with all levels of staff whilst being able to brief and influence senior level management confidently and accurately
• Ability to deliver agile procurement solutions to stakeholders
• Adept in quantitative, financial and commercial analysis
• Able to evaluate suppliers and tenders from the analysis and interpretation of written, financial, numerical and contractual information
• Experience in communicating effectively and well developed negotiating and consultative skills
• Able to generate innovative ideas and practical solutions with colleagues and suppliers as appropriate to improve and develop services
• Possess the ability to independently undertake tendering and contracting activities
• Able to develop effective partnerships and joint working with internal staff and understands the requirements for a high level stakeholder care in the provision of procurement
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with a diverse audience through various formats including presentations, reports and face-to-face dialogue
• Proficient in the use of personal computers and business software. (in particular Word, Excel and Power Point).
• Fast learner when dealing with analytical tools and software