Senior Procurement Specialist - Social Care (SC-SPS-0124-02)

About the Organisation

Scotland Excel is an award-winning Centre of Procurement Expertise providing a wide range of procurement, commissioning, consultancy, and learning and development services for our members.

Since 2008, we have helped to establish procurement as an effective driver for local and national economic growth and wellbeing. Our £2bn portfolio of collaborative contracts supports the delivery of savings, social value, community benefits, fair work practices and environmental policy, and covers a wide range of public services including construction, roads, transport, environment, corporate and education.

Scotland Excel also develops and manages arrangements which support the commissioning of care services for children and adults. Our national care contracts are developed in partnership with care professionals, including care providers, to support person-centred outcomes embedded within national policy. In doing so we also recognise and value insights from those with lived experience.

We also provide procurement and consultancy services to help our members get the most from their procurement resources, ranging from ad-hoc tendering support through to transformation programmes and strategic procurement partnerships.

The Scotland Excel Academy offers applied learning programmes leading to accredited qualifications in procurement, leadership and management, coaching and mentoring, project management and business analysis, as well as short courses and workshops.

Scotland Excel is a non-profit organisation working with members from across the public sector including local authorities, health and social care partnerships, housing associations, and other public and third sector organisations.

About the role

Scotland Excel is looking for Senior Procurement Specialists to lead on some challenging project work related to social care services for children and families. This is an exciting opportunity for dedicated professionals to join the children’s social care team to lead on new work to help support social care commissioning and procurement activity in local government.

As a Senior Procurement Specialist, you will use your in-depth market knowledge to develop and manage innovative solutions that support key stakeholders. The post holder will undertake a lead role in the development of complex collaborative work. Your exceptional stakeholder engagement skills will strengthen relationships with the wide range of stakeholders and partners we work with. A natural leader, you will get the best from colleagues working with you to deliver collaborative solutions.

The role requires strong organisational planning, systems processing and data analysis skills. The post holder will support an enthusiastic team to coordinate and deliver project planning activity, related to existing contracts as well as developing and embedding best practice business processes and systems across the team. The successful candidate will also work closely with colleagues to support local authorities in their local social care arrangements and commissioning practices where required.

The post holder will work with the Category Manager to develop strategic partnerships with providers and lead on local authority user intelligence groups and other forums.

The successful candidate will be required to represent Scotland Excel on strategic groups and external forums, and ensuring contracts are reflective of policy and best practice. You will be joining the Social Care Team at an exciting time for social care commissioning as we consider the recommendations of recent reviews and changing policy direction.

You will work with like-minded colleagues who get real satisfaction from supporting the delivery of essential public services and bringing social, economic and environmental benefits to our communities.

What we can offer you

As well as a competitive salary, you will have access to all the benefits of working for a public sector organisation including a defined benefits pension scheme, generous holiday allowance, flexible working, the possibility of remote working and a range of other initiatives which reflect our commitment to creating a positive work-life balance for all our employees.

How to apply

Email recruitment@scotland-excel.org.uk to apply or to arrange an informal discussion, if you would like to find out more about the post.

When applying please note that we required the following:

• A current cv (3 pages or less).
• A covering letter detailing why you are a suitable candidate.
• We will also ask you to complete an online equality monitoring survey.

This Fixed Term post may also be available as a secondment opportunity for existing local government/public sector employees, subject to the agreement of your employer.

We are a disability confident employer and welcome applications from candidates with disabilities. We guarantee an interview to those candidates who meet the essential requirements for the position.

If you have a disability and wish to be considered for a guaranteed interview it is important to advise of your disability in your covering letter as the equality monitoring survey is anonymous and therefore cannot be attributed to you.