Senior Procurement Specialist - #147569

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.waterwaysireland.org TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION PACK. CV'S WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

JOB TITLE: Senior Procurement Specialist

SALARY SCALE: £35,560 – 36,783 pa

REPORTS TO: Head of Procurement

LOCATION: Waterways Ireland, 2 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, Co

Fermanagh

SUMMARY OF ROLE

The Senior Procurement Specialist will be responsible for supporting the Head of Procurement in the delivery of the Procurement Strategy for Waterways Ireland including the Procurement Plan and Contract Management. The role holder will be responsible for all aspects of the procurement of goods and services in line with organisational-level policies and public procurement legislation.

The Senior Procurement Specialist will play a crucial role in ensuring efficient and effective procurement operations, maintaining compliance, and providing excellent customer service to stakeholders.

KEY FUNCTIONS

• Customer Service Help Desk Management
• eTenders Management
• Contract Management including Contractor KPIs
• Procurement Governance
• Serve as the Primary Point of Contact
• Compliance Assurance Audits
• Staff training including Policy Application

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Procurement Specialist will be responsible for the following key duties and responsibilities:

• Provide Specialist Advisory support to stakeholders by addressing procurement-related enquiries and resolving issues in a timely manner.
• Manage the entire eTender process, including publishing approved tender documents, monitoring clarifications, and downloading and circulating tender responses to relevant parties, evaluation panel member and raising the PO after tender award completion
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of all procurement activities, ensuring all documentation is properly filed for audit purposes.
• Complete planned Compliance Assurance Audit checks across procurement functions and report audit outcomes and recommendations to Head of Procurement.
• Serve as the primary liaison for specified business units, ensuring their procurement needs are met and fostering strong working relationships.
• Review and approve POs related to Requests for Quotations, Requests for Tender ensuring compliance with procurement policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with the Purchasing function to ensure adherence to procurement regulations and policies regarding purchase requisitions and purchase orders.
• Apply procurement policies to address and resolve various procurement-related issues and challenges.
• Ensure appropriate procurement route is applied such as Quotes, Tenders, Procurement card or Supply Gov/CPD.
• Utilise the Finance systems to analyse spend data and generate reports on key procurement indicators, providing insights to support strategic decision-making.
• Assist the Head of Procurement and Procurement Advisor with daily procurement operations and contribute to the continuous improvement of procurement processes.
• Undertake other responsibilities as required to support the development and effectiveness of the procurement function.
• Implement and deliver the corporate procurement plan, Contract Management and adherence to supplier KPIs ensuring compliance and efficiency.
• Analyse and report on procurement activities aligned with the corporate plan.
• Support the implementation and enforcement of procurement policies and procedures.
• Assist in the adoption and use of new digital transformation software related to procurement.
• Review and analyse individual procurement plans submitted by budget holders annually.
• Support training delivery for both new and existing staff on procurement processes.
• Write and publish procurement procedure notifications to ensure transparency.
• Support change management initiatives related to procurement and compliance.
• Develop and apply monitoring and reporting tools for procurement and purchasing, including environmental, sustainability, social and procurement governance.
• Comply with and actively promote Waterways Ireland policies and procedures on all aspects of equality.
• Complete all training to keep abreast of Procurement best practice as required by Waterways Ireland within specified timeframes

The above is given as a broad range of duties and is not intended to be a complete description of all tasks. The Senior Procurement Specialist will undertake any other reasonable duties on behalf of Waterways Ireland and as assigned by the Director of Finance & Personnel or Chief Executive, for example leading/inputting on organisation-wide project improvement initiatives, undertaking a representational role at external events etc.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Candidates must be able to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility and essential criteria in their application and at interview. Desirable criteria may be used as necessary in the selection process.

Eligibility Criteria

• Educated to Degree Level, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline such as Procurement, Business, or Supply Chain Management, AND
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in a Public Procurement Role or equivalent, which must include:
• Experience supporting a senior manager in a complex organisation; and
• Experience within an organisation that has a capital income of at least €10 million as part of a cross-sectional annual budget, AND
• A full current driving licence and / or access to a form of transport which will permit the candidate to meet the requirements of the post

Essential Criteria

1. Proven experience in building and maintaining strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
2. Strong ability to maintain accurate and comprehensive records of procurement activities for audit purposes.
3. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address various issues and challenges, coupled with demonstrated resilience and adaptability to change in a fast-paced, evolving organisation.
4. Strong planning and organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
5. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and take initiative in a dynamic work environment.
6. Meticulous attention to detail in all tasks and documentation.
7. Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other relevant software.
8. Line management experience, including leading teams and working independently.
9. Experience in delivering a corporate procurement plan and engaging with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level to support organisational strategy.
10. Experience in rolling out procurement training and contributing to change management initiatives.
11. Strong knowledge of procurement law, frameworks, and best practices.
12. Analytical and problem-solving skills, coupled with procurement acumen to support strategic decision-making.
13. The ability to guide teams, advise senior colleagues, and drive performance improvements within procurement processes.
14. Demonstrated experience in managing the eTender process, including publishing tender documents, handling clarifications, and processing tender responses.

Desirable Criteria

• It is highly desirable for candidates to be registered with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS). Candidates who are not CIPS registered at the time of appointment will be required to obtain registration within two years of taking up the role.
• Proven experience navigating procurement processes across multiple jurisdictions, including both, NI and ROI.

Short-listing Process

1. A short-list of candidates for interviews will be prepared on the basis of the information contained in the application. It is essential that all applicants demonstrate on their application how, and the extent to which, they satisfy each of the Eligibility, Essential & Desirable Criteria.
2. Only those candidates who meet the Eligibility Criteria will proceed to the formal short-listing process.

1. The candidates who meet the Eligibility Criteria will then have the information contained in their application assessed against the Essential & Desirable Criteria.
2. Where a specified period of experience is mentioned, it may be increased as a method of reducing numbers or in the event of a large volume of candidates the Desirable Criteria may also be used.

Reserve Panel

This competition will create a merit-based panel which will last 12 months. Similar opportunities that arise over the next 12 months will be offered to successful applicants in order of merit.

Note

Starting Salary would normally be at the minimum. Consideration of a higher starting salary may be given to applicants with exceptional relevant experience and/or skills.