head of Procurement

Ready to play an important role in the work of the Northern Ireland Assembly?

Deadline for applications Please note that the deadline for submission of applications expires at 12 noon on Tuesday 20 September 2022.

Important information The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to the principle that recruitment should be solely on the basis of merit. The Assembly Commission welcomes applications from all eligible applicants, irrespective of religious belief, political opinion, race, age, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or people with dependents or without. As ethnic minorities and young people (people under the age of 35) are currently under-represented in this staff group, we would particularly welcome applications from these individuals.

The application process is now closed Please note that the deadline for applications expired at 12 noon on Tuesday 20 September 2022.

If you applied for this opportunity and would like to view your application you can do so by logging in to the application portal.

The Head of Procurement is a key post within the Assembly Commission, having full responsibility for developing and implementing procurement policies and procedures across the organisation.

Head of Procurement
Ceannasaí Soláthair

The main duties and responsibilities of the job are:

Specific Procurement Responsibilities:

Formulating, reviewing, implementing and monitoring the Assembly Commission’s corporate Procurement Policies and Guidance, ensuring compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015;
Managing procurement projects of high value and risk. As a minimum this will include all procurements of a value greater than that stated in the corporate Procurement Policies and Guidance (currently £30k);
Ensuring procurement issues are highlighted and considered for all strategic decisions; and
Taking responsibility for the achievement of procurement related Value for Money contribution to Assembly Commission spend.

Management of the Procurement Office:

Leading, managing and supporting the development of Procurement Office staff including conducting performance conversations;

Ensuring there is an emphasis on continuous learning and professional development of Procurement Office staff;

Managing the Procurement Plan and allocating projects to Procurement Managers; and
Managing the Procurement Office in order to maintain continuous improvement of service levels and standards including determining, bidding for, controlling and evaluating effective use of Assembly Commission resources.

Provision of advice, guidance and information:

Developing and providing specialist procurement advice and/or services to the Assembly Commission;
Providing assurance to the Director of Legal, Governance and Research Services and to senior management that all procurement projects are being managed to the expected standards and targets;
Presenting and leading the dissemination of procurement information to external bodies;
Promoting staff awareness of procurement procedures, policies and developments;
Developing good supplier management and contract management guidance; and
Producing high quality written material, which may include papers to the Assembly Commission; reports to senior staff; tender documentation; contracts; recommendations to clients; records of negotiations or reports of de-briefing unsuccessful tenders.

General:

Complying with all of the Assembly Commission’s staff policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures and all mandatory training requirements;
Managing information and records in accordance with established policies and statutory requirements; and
Carrying out such other duties as the Assembly Commission reasonably requires.

Salary range: £60,143 - £61,967
The standard working week is 37 hours, excluding meal breaks (42 hours gross). Working hours will be dictated by the mode of operation of the Assembly and may involve work into late evenings, at weekends and on public holidays.
In addition to the usual public and privilege holidays, there is an annual leave allowance of 25 days, increasing incrementally by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days.

Essential Criteria:

Applicants must, by the closing date for applications have:

Membership of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS).

AND

At least 3 years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) to (d):

a) Developing and implementing procurement policies, procedures and guidance;

b) Successfully leading procurement projects with individual values greater than the current procurement thresholds set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015;

c) Leading, managing and supporting staff to ensure effective service delivery and specific outcomes; and

d) Effectively managing the delivery of a programme of complex procurement projects.

AND

A thorough knowledge and understanding of the relevant law, regulations and guidance relating to procurement e.g. Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and evidence of providing advice upon these matters at a senior level* within an organisation.

Should shortlisting be required, the following shortlisting criteria will be applied:

At least 2 years’ experience of developing and negotiating contract terms and conditions and advising on contractual issues.

*Senior level is defined as a Director, Head of Business, NICS Grade 7, company board member or equivalent.

Quick Q&A for this job...

How much is the salary?

The salary range is £60,143 – £61,967. This is an Assembly Grade 4 position.

How many positions are there?

There is one permanent position.

What business area will I work in?

The Head of Procurement oversees the Procurement Office, part of the Assembly’s Legal, Governance and Research Services Directorate.

Who would I report to?

The successful candidate will be accountable to the Director of Legal, Governance and Research Services.

Where is the job based?

The successful applicant will be based in Parliament Buildings, Belfast.

When is the closing date?

Completed application forms must be submitted by 12 noon on Tuesday 20 September 2022.

The Selection Process

Stages of the Selection Process

There are five elements within the Recruitment and Selection Framework:

Experience – the knowledge or mastery of an activity or subject gained through involvement in or exposure to it.

Ability – the aptitude or potential to perform to the required standard.

Technical – the demonstration of specific professional skills, knowledge or qualifications.

Assembly Skills and Behaviours –the actions and activities that people do which result in effective performance in a job.

Strengths – the things we do regularly, do well and that motivate us.

The elements which will be assessed for this role will be Experience, Technical, Assembly Skills and Behaviours and Strengths. The selection methods that will be used are detailed below. Further information on the Recruitment and Selection Framework are included in the Guidance on Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

Eligibility Sift

The essential criteria reflect the experience and knowledge that an applicant must possess in order to be able to undertake the role. An eligibility sift will be carried out on the basis of the information contained in the essential criteria section of the application form. You must therefore demonstrate clearly in your form how, and to what extent, you meet with the essential criteria for the post.

Shortlisting

The selection panel reserve the right to use shortlisting as part of the selection process for this post. Should shortlisting be used, the shortlisting criterion listed in the Job Specification will be applied. The selection panel reserve the right to set a minimum standard for the shortlisting criterion which applicants must achieve in order to be invited to the interview stage of the selection process. If shortlisting is not necessary, all applicants who have demonstrated the essential criteria will proceed to the next stage of the selection process.

Interview Stage

There will also be an interview, which will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework.

The applicant will be required to deliver a presentation as part of the interview process. The subject of the presentation will be advised to the applicant on the day of the interview and the applicant will be expected to present information to the selection panel.

Further Interview Stage

The selection panel reserves the right to hold a further interview stage if deemed necessary.

It is anticipated that interviews will take place on the 3^rd and 4^th October 2022.

Further information on the Recruitment and Selection process is available in the Recruitment and Selection Framework and Guidance on the Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

Head of Procurement

Below you will find everything you need to apply for the position.

Read all the information about the job and the associated guidance related to working in the Assembly:

You are now ready to complete the online application:

Please be advised that the Assembly application portal is currently experiencing supplier technical issues. If you encounter any issues trying to access the portal, please try again later and apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

The deadline for applications expired at 12 noon on Tuesday 20 September 2022.

Further Information

If you need more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Assembly Recruitment Team on 028 90521741 or email recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

Visit our website for further information about the Assembly.

Please note the application form will be unavailable due to essential system maintenance on Saturday 21^st May 2022 between 00:00 and 12:00 noon.

If you are unable to access the form during this time please try again later.