Senior Procurement Specialist

Job Description

Do you have the expertise to lead complex public sector procurements that deliver value, ensure compliance, and support Scotland’s sustainability goals?

Procurement is much more than buying the goods, services or works the public sector need. Colleagues in the profession balance cost, quality and time considerations. It’s also about ensuring we use our collective spending power to innovate and to deliver social, economic and environmental outcomes aligned to Scotland’s National Performance Framework.

As a Senior Procurement Specialist, you will play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with the public procurement regulations, identifying opportunities for savings and benefits and to contribute to the wider government agenda including improving business for SMEs, equality awareness and delivering the sustainability agenda. The level of Delegated Purchasing Authority for this role is commonly in the region of £5 million.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, planning and implementation of procurement strategies for high-value, high-risk procurements optimising value for money for customers.   
• Lead and manage all stages of the end-to-end public sector procurement process. This includes from initial conception, strategy development, through the full procurement delivery cycle, to contract award, ensuring compliance with relevant public procurement legislation and Scottish Government procurement policies.
• Ensure that all stages of your procurement delivery addresses the Sustainable Procurement Duty and contribute to the government’s sustainability agenda.
• Work effectively with a wide range of key stakeholders, including customers, colleagues and external markets to deliver credible procurement strategies and contracts.
• Actively manage suppliers and engage with customers advising them on their contractual agreements and options using product and market knowledge.
• You will be required to manage a number of activities and projects concurrently and therefore need to have effective time and task management skills.
• Work flexibly within the team, Division and across the Directorate to help deliver the organisation’s wider goals in line with the Directorate Plan. 

Qualifications

This is a specialist role which requires evidence of a commitment towards continuous professional development, including external, advanced level professional accreditation of CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma, WCC Advanced Practitioner Certification or relevant equivalent*; or a commitment to attaining such an accreditation once in post.
* ‘Equivalent’ may include accreditation from another relevant professional body or a relevant academic qualification at degree or post graduate level. Significant evidenced experience operating and delivering at an advanced level may be considered as equivalent when accompanied by a commitment to attaining an accreditation once in post.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. 

Experience

Proven track record in the delivery of the full end-to-end public procurement cycle, including sourcing strategy development, tendering through to contract award.

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions - Level 3
• Communicating and Influencing - Level 3 
• Delivering at Pace - Level 3 
• You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot
• How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.Assessments are scheduled for w/c 15th September however this may be subject to change.Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

About Us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer. 

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week.  We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for,  please contact us.

From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location.

Security Checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide. 

Equality Statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.  

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further Information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

Apply before; 28th August (23:59). This post is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only