Senior Procurement Specialist

Fixed Term 24 months

Location: Paisley or as agreed
Salary: £49,895.45 - £52,924.94
Ref: 115256
Closing: 19th October 2025 (23:59)
Interviews: week commencing 3rd November 2025

Scotland Excel is continuing to experience a growing demand for our capability as a centre of procurement expertise for public sector, from local authorities across Scotland and other organisations in the public domain.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Procurement Specialist to join our busy and expanding Flexible Procurement Services team for a fixed-term two-year period.

While the core business of Scotland Excel is collaborative at the national level for the 32 Scottish local authorities (councils) and our member organisations, The Flexible Procurement Services team at Scotland Excel operates in a unique, client-facing environment. This team works on behalf of our member organisations delivering local contracts for use by individual public bodies with a focus on customer relations and client satisfaction as well as procurement best practice.

The successful candidate will have a good understanding of public sector procurement regulations and be capable of understanding financial/standing orders of our member organisations and adapting to our clients’ ways of working across various organisations. This team is called upon to manage tendering activities for goods, works and services in the areas such as IT, construction, facilities management, HR/finance, social care, consultancy and environmental. Contract management does not sit under our remit.

The job description for this role is generic but the key responsibilities for this particular post are as detailed below.

Key responsibilities

  • effectively manage and deliver a wide-ranging portfolio of contracts including high value/high risk, regulated and non-regulated
  • manage the tender process for goods, works and service contracts  
  • drive commercial excellence through the development and implementation of well-defined sourcing strategies  
  • ensure compliance with standing orders, statutory provisions, EU directives, other relevant legislation and Scotland Excel policies, procedures and processes  
  • assess key stakeholder needs in order to manage/develop contract solutions which ensure effective service delivery 
  • manage all stages of relevant procurement processes in order to deliver a high- quality procurement service 
  • support sustainable procurement policy and practice in the delivery of contracts
  • make recommendations on the award of contracts in accordance with relevant contract authorisation procedure and arrange subsequent contract placement and mobilisation in conjunction with appropriate legal advice 
  • monitor developments in new procurement practices and techniques, including e-technologies 
  • be responsible for the coordination, instruction, advising and guidance of team members 
  • ensure that your own work activities comply with Scotland Excel’s commitment to health and safety regulations 
  • be involved in the implementation of Scotland Excel’s HR policy, procedures and practices 

Desired Qualifications and Qualities

  • achieved, or working towards full membership of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) or equivalent
  • educated to Degree Level, HND in business related subject or equivalent qualification
  • a natural leader to work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver solutions 
  • strong organisational planning, systems processing and data analysis skills 
  • an enthusiastic team member to coordinate and deliver project planning activity, related to tendering for contracts as well as developing and embedding best practice business processes and systems across the team 
  • a colleague dedicated to getting real satisfaction from supporting the delivery of essential public services and bringing social, economic and environmental benefits to our communities 

Relevant Experience

  • significant experience in the public procurement sector; Category C would be ideal
  • experience in the effective delivery of services to pre- agreed performance measures
  • experience of delivering client or account management services to public sector organisations
  • experience of project planning and management

The following values are at the heart of everything we do at Scotland Excel and the successful candidate will be expected the demonstrate these daily:

  • Professional
  • Respectful
  • Courageous
  • Integrity

Relevant Documents

Senior Procurement Specialist - Job Description

Senior Procurement Specialist - Person Specification

 

About Scotland Excel

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.

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.

As well as a competitive salary, you will have:

  • Access to a defined benefits pension with Strathclyde Pension Fund. Current combined contribution of employee and employer varies depending on earnings but can be between 24-32%
  • A generous holiday allowance of 33 days including public holidays. This increases on a sliding scale up to an additional ten days subject to length of service
  • Flexible working opportunities including hybrid working and a nine-day fortnight
  • Access to staff discounts through Vivup employee benefit platform
  • Time off during office closure over Christmas and New Year (included in holiday allowance)
  • Our commitment to employee engagement including regular corporate and team events as recently recognised by us retaining Gold Investors In People Award
  • A wealth of training opportunities including from our own award-winning Academy

 

How to apply

We welcome applications from all backgrounds, whether it is public or private sector.

We welcome applications from candidates with disabilities and guarantee an interview to those candidates who meet the essential requirements for the position. If you have a disability, please make us aware when submitting your application.

To be considered for this post please complete the below forms and attach your CV (max 3 pages).

Submissions received after the closing date, may not be considered.

All applicants will be asked to provide proof of their right to work in the UK, and any offer of employment will be conditional upon verifying documentary evidence before employment commences.

Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work

Candidate Information Form

Personal Details
where are you currently living
Do you have the right to work in the UK? * We must check if an applicant has the right to work in the UK. Please select one of the options below: For further information on right to work please see www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk Please note Scotland Excel does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot offer a right to work sponsorship visa.
This will allow us to check you have relevant right to work. This does not apply to British citizens or those with a permanent right to remain.
This is required along side your share code to review right to work status.
Use this section to demonstrate why you think you would be suitable for the post by linking to the job profile and person specification. Please include all relevant information, whether obtained through formal employment or voluntary/leisure activities. (700-word limit)
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
Do you have any convictions that are unspent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exclusions and Exceptions (Scotland) Order 2013 as amended? * If you have select yes and are invited for interview, you will be required to provide further details.
Protecting Children and Vulnerable Adults
Are you aware of any police enquiries undertaken following allegations made against you, which may have a bearing on your suitability for this post? * This information may be required if the post you are applying for has a requirement for a Disclosure Scotland check.
Conflict of Interest Statement
If appointed, do you have any interests or hold any appointments that may conflict with employment by Scotland Excel in the role for which you have applied? * e.g. your partner is employed by a Scotland Excel framework supplier
Declaration
located on the job advert e.g. Ref: 123456
Are you related to an existing employee? *
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All personal data will be processed securely in line with the Data Protection Principles as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018 and in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (EU) (2016/679) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.
Reasonable Adjustments/Arrangements for Interview
Scotland Excel has an obligation under Public Sector Equality Duty in Scotland to request your equality information to help ensure our policies, employment practices and services are fair, reasonable, and meet your needs. Completion of this form is not mandatory but is very much appreciated. In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018, all information provided will be treated in confidence and will be used solely by the Human Resources department for the purpose of providing statistics for equal opportunities monitoring. We have only asked for your name so that monitoring can take place at both application and shortlisting stages. Once an appointment has been made, the data given on this form will be stored electronically in an anonymised format and the form will then be destroyed. This information does not form part of your application and will not be shared with the recruiting panel, with anyone else or be used for any other purpose. If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@scotland-excel.org.uk
(e.g. 112345, the number will be on the advert)
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