Procurement Manager

A fantastic opportunity to join Harper Adams University as a Procurement Manager

* Offers hybrid working approach

About Our Client

Harper Adams University is the UK's premier educational institution serving the agri-food, animal wellbeing and connected industries, recognised as a world-leading specialist provider. Our focus is on food production and technology, animal health and wellbeing, management of land and property, and their contribution to sustainable living environments for our planet's population; we are equally committed to making the UK's food and farming competitive in a world where we will need to compete globally. Our education and research encompass food production and processing, animal sciences, environmental sustainability, mechanical engineering, land management and sustainable business management. We have strong relationships with companies in the UK and abroad, and with academic institutions across the world, collaborating in research and in the delivery of our courses. We are a University with regional, national and international reach and impact, repeatedly appearing in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide as the UK's highest-ranked modern university.

The University began life in 1901 as Harper Adams Agricultural College and was granted University status in 2012. Our Chancellor is Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal; our current Vice-Chancellor is Professor Ken Sloan, who joined us in 2021. The University is based on a single campus in Shropshire, close to the old market town of Newport and within easy reach of the modern town of Telford, which offers a range of housing possibilities and has excellent rail and road links to the West Midlands conurbation and beyond. Investment of more than £50 million over the last decade has ensured that our campus boasts the most up-to-date teaching, research and conference facilities as well as accommodation for around 800 students. Our most recent additions include contemporary laboratories and a purpose-built Veterinary Services Centre for teaching and research, swiftly followed by a £500,000 refurbishment of the veterinary nursing facilities. On-campus leisure facilities include a multi-gym, sports hall, dance and aerobics studio. And we are one of the very universities to have its own commercial farm: covering 494 hectares, its facilities include a £2 million leading-edge dairy unit with a robotic dairy.

Job Description

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the postholder will:

* Develop, implement, and monitor the Procurement Strategy, Policy, and Procedures.

* Develop forward looking procurement plans across the institution to ensure transparency and tendering requirements are adhered to for all significant contracts.

* Ensure that all approved internal Procurement Regulations and external legislative regulations are applied across the University. Advise and guide budget holders and leaders to facilitate understanding and compliance.

* Chair regular University procurement meetings with key internal stakeholders to provide updates on procurement practice.

* Design and deliver procurement training to strengthen the University's procurement approach.

* Assess and resolve procurement queries and issues related to projects or specific requisitions. Oversee all complex or high-risk procurement activities. Assist and guide departments in the evaluation of tender responses and supplier selection.

* Advise and guide stakeholders on potential bidder engagement and evaluation approaches to facilitate improved tendering outcomes, considering all key commercial and regulatory risks.

* Manage projects for the full contract lifecycle, from tendering to exit management, across the group.

* Build professional working relationships with internal stakeholders and Management team. Develop mutual trust, confidence, and co-operation with key suppliers.

* Engage with external suppliers, legal advisors, and other specialist consultants to develop appropriate tender documentation and ensure sourcing projects are delivered efficiently and effectively.

* Explore, identify, and implement innovative approaches to the delivery of complex projects to enhance levels of service and minimise costs, ensuring compliance with the overall University Strategic Plan and seek to safeguard the University's contractual and commercial risk.

* Negotiate improved terms and conditions with suppliers to support effective trading, operations, customer/ supplier relations and reduce risk.

* Develop and implement contract management systems to enable effective, efficient monitoring of suppliers, savings, and other innovations/ efficiencies.

* Work closely with the wider Finance team to ensure planning of resources is considered for future procurement activity and to ensure delivery of financial objectives including identifying opportunities for cost savings and the recording of savings and other value added.

* Represent the University at external meetings and seminars, including regular contact, participation and networking with the Universities Purchasing Consortium, HEPA, JISC and other similar organisations.

* Identify and propose solutions for improvements in contract tendering and management processes.

* Control and monitor contracts. This may include measurement of supplier performance, cost performance against budget, expiration and renewal.

* Lead regular contract reviews of important agreements, provide advice and guidance on Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators to measure and monitor supplier performance.

* Analyse key category spend to quantify and record value of efficiency savings realised through procurement activity.

* Liaise with auditors during audit reviews of University procurement processes.

* Manage and develop the Procurement and Insurance Officer, with relation to procurement responsibility.

* Maintain own CPD in relation to legislative and regulatory changes to drive continuous improvement in University procurement policies, procedures, and practices. Engage in professional self-development, through participation in service and external training as necessary for the successful execution of the job.

* Provide a Procurement Consultancy Service for third parties, by agreement.

* Ensure that Environmental Sustainability is engrained into the procurement process

The Successful Applicant

- Knowledge of the Public Contracts Regulations 2023 and use of consortia framework agreement

- Procurement strategy development and policy / procedure implementation

- Ability to review, draft and negotiate commercial contractual documents to support University objectives

- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage expectations and prioritise workloads

- Ability to develop project / strategic sourcing strategies for key areas of spend with stakeholders at all levels of the business

- Ability to quickly develop and maintain good networks and working relationships with discretion and diplomacy

- Excellent commercial negotiation skills and the ability to influence key University stakeholders to engage in effective procurement practice

- Resilience in managing change

- Excellent interpersonal and written skills that can be adapted to the target audience to build and maintain good working relationships and foster trust

- Capable of working autonomously and working effectively as part of a cross functional team

What's on Offer

- Basic Salary between £45,000 - £55,000 depending on experience

- 25 days annual leave, plus 8 university closure days, plus 8 bank holidays

- Hybrid working with 3 days per week on campus

- Postholder will be entitled to join the Harper Adams Group Pension Scheme

Where specific UK qualifications are required we will take into account overseas equivalents. All third party applications will be forwarded to Michael Page.

Ref Code: MP(phone number removed)Z