Procurement Senior Buyer

The UKHO is on a digital journey, transforming into a data centric information agency. In order to fulfil our corporate plans, it is essential that we have the capacity and expertise to ensure value for money and generate savings across our procurement activities. To meet this demand the procurement team is expanding.

About the UKHO

UKHO is an executive agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. We work with a wide range of data partners to chart the world's oceans in order to develop and serve world leading software and data solutions to commercial shipping companies, navies and maritime organisations. Our products ensure safe navigation and global trade efficiency and support other marine activities including economic development, environmental protection, resource exploration and utilisation, scientific research and security and defence.

The role

The procurement team manage a portfolio of 250+ contracts across a broad number of categories including Technology, Facilities Management, Marketing, Print and Supply and Surveying. Each year the team procures and manages £30m+ of spend. As a Procurement Buyer, you will pick up a number of these categories and support the team to ensure it can maintain delivery of a quality service to the UKHO whilst ensuring that we meet all central government responsibilities, maintain adherence to the Public Contracts Regulations and both UKHO and MoD procurement policy.

You will be expected to engage with many areas of the business and build strong working relationships, whilst supporting the management of the contract portfolio. You will be responsible for managing a subset of these contracts along, including competitions and contract management. 

This position is a permanent position, providing a great opportunity for you to develop your own skills and knowledge. If you do not already have your Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) qualification, there may be the opportunity to obtain this during your career and you would be given time to help study for this professional qualification.

What we are looking for

We are seeking a highly motivated individual with following characteristics:

• Experience in managing medium level procurement activity / contracts
• The ability to organise and prioritise work 
• Excellent numerical and literacy skills in order to undertake a range of tasks 
• Good knowledge and skills of using ICT applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Ability to produce accurate work with high level of detail
• Ability to communicate in a polite, friendly and helpful manner in person and on the telephone
• The ability to adapt to and embrace change

In return

UKHO is a great place in which to explore your career potential. While our projects are career-defining, the work/life balance that we can offer you is equally exceptional. From flexitime, flexible working, an award-winning office environment and a generous annual leave allowance of 34.5 days including public holidays, the opportunities open to you here are hard to beat.

We are working remotely at present but envisage a hybrid working model post pandemic whereby you will be able to balance your work location between working remotely and in the office.

For a full job description, including the assessment criteria, please click the apply button to be taken to our website. 

Closing date: 11:55 pm on 10^th May 2021.

UKHO embraces diversity and promotes inclusion and equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident employer, which includes offering a guaranteed interview to candidates with disabilities, providing they meet the minimum selection criteria.

Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.