AMS PSR

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Senior Procurement Officer for a 6 month hybrid (3 days office working and the remainder from home) contract based out of Manchester or Blackpool.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

“As a key part of DWP, the Commercial Directorate (CD) shapes how services are delivered across 100’s of 3rd party contractual arrangements; with an annual procurement spend in the region of £3bn with some of the largest industry suppliers. CD is one of the most experienced and mature Commercial teams in Government and we have a huge responsibility in helping DWP meets its goals. The CD Digital Category procure and manage hundreds of digital contracts to support delivery of indirect needs across DWP. The commercial activity undertaken offers significant value to the department by in ensuring critical systems and infrastructure are running, supported and available for both our staff and members of the public"

Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:

• Help people to move into work and support those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• Help people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• Provide effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• Improve experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer.

As a Senior Procurement Officer, your main responsibilities will be:

• Ensuring good communication links with relevant digital and financial stakeholders.
• Maintaining an accurate and timely pipeline of procurement activity and awarded contracts our eProcurment solution Atamis, interacting with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure their needs are represented on the pipeline and commercial activity begins, then progresses, in a timely manner to ensure sensible procurement timescales are followed.
• Bringing market knowledge to bear to support Digital in determining how to approach the relevant market (Digital and Technology Services), strategy, design, development and operational services) Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) specialists, cloud-based computing services), while continually working to build your own and colleagues understanding of the market"
• Designing and conducting procurements for required digital services and specialits, including helping refine requirement, recomnneding a sourcing strategy, executing the procurement process, completing relevant governance and assurance and finalising effective, legal and strong value-for-money contracts"
• Providing commercial management of resulting contracts, and through advice and oversight, ensuring that stakeholders are performing appropriate operational management of contracts in addition to commercial management led by yourself.
• Seeking out and delivering savings opportunities and opportunities to add value (social or otherwise); register and plan for the delivery of such savings and report on progress.
• Ensuring all relevant information is stored appropriately and updated, including document retention, eProcurement system updates and pipeline updates

Essential:

• Strong commercial acumen
• Experience of running procurements through CCS Frameworks
• Understanding of and ability to apply UK procurement legislation (Particularly PCR 2015 and PA 2023) as it applies to central government departments
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Contract and supplier management
• Ability to manage a busy workload with competing priorities
• Negotiation skills

Desirable:

• Experience of buying in the Digital market is highly desirable
• Knowledge of the relevant markets
• Ability to apply market knowledge to secure better deals
• Experience of using CCS Technology Frameworks (Digital Specialist and Programmes, Digital outcomes, G-Cloud, Technology Services, Technology Products and Services etc)
• MCIPS/CIPS or equivalent 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".