Procurement & Contracts Officer

Main Purpose of Job

Currently, the University of Galway operates a hybrid model of public procurement where the central Procurement & Contracts Office sets down the relevant processes and procedures arising from the QA100 Procurement Policy, which reflects both the Irish Government Public Procurement Regulations and the EU Public Procurement Directives. These processes and procedures minimise risk, provide a layer of transparency while being fully compliant with all relevant legislation/regulation.

The post holder will support the Head of Procurement & Contracts with the development and implementation of a Devolved Procurement Strategy for the University, along with developing category-specific sourcing strategies for the main categories of procurement expenditure.

4. Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide expertise as the Leading Authority on all matters relating to the procurement processes and resultant awarding of contracts for specific categories of expenditure that relate to high-value recurring centralised spends.

• Devise, design and manage the relevant procurement strategies for the annual University expenditure on categories such as Professional Services, including but not limited to Financial and Business Management services; which of approximately €18m-€20m under the categories of (but not limited to) Professional/Consultancy Services relating to Business, Organisational and Financial-related services, and other Supply and Services categories.

• Support the Multi-Annual Procurement Plan within the University.

• Manage the growth of procurement and contracts competency throughout the University by reviewing allocation of resources and presenting recommendations to maximise these resources to the Head of Procurement & Contracts.

• Design and deliver relevant procurement-related training to meet the needs of all categories of University staff.

• Provide specialised and professional expertise to the College Staff around drawing up functional/technical specifications for procuring goods/services.

• Manage supplier engagements (i.e., contract reviews) with relevant University Staff on Service Level Agreements and Contract Terms and Conditions with external vendors/service providers.

• Lead out on any other EU or National tendering processes as required.

• Ensure a consistent, high-quality and commercially focused approach to competitive tendering with emphasis on meticulous planning and attention to detail.

• Proactively drive and manage the development and implementation of systems and process improvement to underpin procurement policies and procedures and procurement activities in the University.

• Lead and manage the contract management of relevant centralised contracts with added focus on ensuring quality of service.

• Identify and implement solutions to problems that arise during procurement processes and contract execution.

• Provide expertise in respect of public procurement legislation and requirements, regulatory amendments, and developments.

• Drive development and delivery of objectives linked to sustainable purchasing and be a positive ambassador with regard to Sustainable Public Procurement, including promoting expectations that suppliers and services providers meet sustainability goals and requirements and promote the reduction of emissions in the supply chain.

• Represent the University of Galway with external funders, government departments, stage agencies, or private funders, as relevant to the role.

• Undertake any other relevant procurement duties, as many be assigned by the Head of Procurement & Contracts Office.

5. Requirements for the Role

The successful candidate will demonstrate the eligibility requirements below in terms of qualification, skills and experience:

Essential Requirements

• HETAC Level 8 qualification in a relevant area (or equivalent) or a minimum of 10 years of experience working in a procurement-related role.

• A minimum of seven years procurement and contracts management experience or equivalent.

• A minimum of five years in managing public procurement processes or equivalent.

• Highly developed project management capability.

• Excellent IT skills with proficiency in M/S Office suite.

• Intermediate level in MS Excel is a requirement (testing may be required).

• Demonstrated ability to work on own initiative and to plan, manage and organise own workload in an effective manner within strict deadlines.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, good numeracy skills, and ability to analyse data.

• Demonstrate ability to work in line with relevant policies and procedures and regulations.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with professional services and academic staff, and with senior management.

• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated evidence of contribution to innovation and process improvement.

• A demonstrated customer-focused ethos.

• Successful candidate will be required to undertake the Certificate in Public Procurement within 12 months of appointment.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience of use of Agresso or equivalent finance management system.

• Experience of use of procurement-relevant IT systems such as eTenders, etc.

• Demonstrated problem-solving ability.

• Demonstrated experience of applying commercial acumen from a procurement perspective.

• Demonstrated experience of providing training to other staff.

The above criteria will be utilised to shortlist and select candidates for interview.

Special Features of Job

Applicants should be aware that the Procurement & Contracts Office is a demanding office environment that requires a high level of flexibility. Applicants must also be comfortable in engaging with and challenging the key and relevant stakeholders, internal staff, tenderers and suppliers in relation to all aspects of the procurement and contracting process.

Furthermore, the nature of public procurement means that applicants should note that any aspect of their work is liable to be reviewed by both internal and external agencies.

Where applicable, the successful candidate will be required to undertake the Certificate in Public Procurement within the first 2 years of taking up this position.

The Procurement & Contracts Office Team are continuously undergoing relevant professional development, and the successful candidate will be given the same opportunity.

Applicants should note that any aspect of the work of this role is liable to be reviewed by both internal and external bodies, including audit and compliance bodies.

Salary: €63,499 - €86,087 (applicable to new entrants effective from January, 2011) and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the QA321 University’s Remuneration & Payroll Policy.