Procurement Advisor

Summary of Responsibilities: Procurement & Contract Management 1. To support the Procurement and Contracts Manager in the provision of an efficient and effective Procurement and Contract management service. 2. To comply with, and support, the NIFRS Procurement Strategy and provide advice to internal stakeholders on all procurement matters including tendering, quotations, contract management and procurement legislation. 3. To support and deliver the day to day procurement and contract management functions and maintain relationships with NIFRS Centres of Procurement Expertise (CoPE) Business Services Organisation (BSO) Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS) and Central Procurement Directorate (CPD). 4. To liaise with the relevant CoPE organisations regarding procurements to ensure effective planning and management of tenders. 5. To assist in Procurement Awareness training as required for internal stakeholders. 6. Complete procurement of goods through compliant routes to deliver Value for Money solutions within the public procurement policy, legal and accountability frameworks. 7. To assist in fulfilling and monitoring Key Performance Indicators for NIFRS Procurement Function to demonstrate positive performance of service. 8. To exercise judgement or discretion within a framework of rule, practice and precedent to identify and select the most appropriate course of action from a range of options within a procurement and contract management setting. 9. Collation, analysis and interpretation of spend information from numerous sources in order to identify efficiencies, procurement and contract improvements. 10. To provide procurement & contract management advice to internal contract managers and day-to-day assistance with the operational management of contracts, including service level agreements (SLA’s).

11. Ensure supplier performance is proactively monitored, contract Management Information is analysed and relevant reports on contractor performance and analytics is documented. 12. Lead, conduct and participate in contract review meetings with NIFRS Contractors/Suppliers. 13. Ensure that all complaints are dealt with promptly and effectively to resolution. 14. To manage all Contract and Procurement queries to ensure timely and informative responses to all stakeholders. 15. To approve orders when required in line with delegated Procurement authority limits following accuracy and validity checking. 16. To assist with the invoice clearing process within the e-procurement system. 17. To approve the addition of goods/services onto the e-procurement system, in accordance with NIFRS policies.

18. To provide the necessary information to facilitate completion of all statutory/regulatory returns and requests for information from the sponsor body. 19. Run regular system reports to monitor Contract and Non Contract Spend and update the Contract Management database to ensure compliance with control limits. 20. Assist the Procure to Pay Team in the approval of requisitions to ensure spend is compliant. 21. To provide final quality assurance of Procure to Pay procurement-related transactional processing. Governance, Data & Information Assurance 1. To assist with the effective implementation of an assurance & accountability framework for procurement activities. 2. Maintain a sound knowledge and understanding of relevant Legislation, Procurement Guidance Notices, policies and processes applicable to NIFRS and extend knowledge to procurement staff via research and dissemination of relevant material. 3. To advise internal stakeholders on the NIFRS procurement strategy, policy and procedures that reflect compliance with NI Executive Direction and Procurement best practice. 4. Responsibility for handling sensitive personal data and ensuring that the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are met. 5. Maintaining the records management framework of procurement records including electronic and manual retention and disposal in line with GDPR and Record Retention Policies. 6. Assist the Procurement and Contracts Manager in ensuring the accurate and timely provision of financial information for external release, as requested under Freedom of Information, Assembly Questions and by Legal Representatives and Statutory Bodies. 7. Assist the Procurement and Contracts Manager in preparing documentation for internal and external audit, Freedom of Information requests, Assembly Questions and other external parties where appropriate, ensuring the accurate and timely provision of information as requested. 8. Ensure the accurate and timely provision of procurement information as requested by other Departments by review and quality assurance. 9. Recording and reporting of fraud or potential fraud in line with Policy to ensure compliance with National Fraud Initiative. 10. To maintain and enhance corporate governance, by ensuring high standards of financial administration, probity and control. Systems and Service Improvement 1. Assist the Procure to Pay Team in the administration and maintenance of new and existing Contracts within the e-procurement system in line with NIFRS Policies. 2. Assist in ensuring that systems are functioning correctly and where necessary identify issues and liaise internally or externally as required to resolve. 3. Support the development of innovative and effective systems and procedures to achieve continuous improvement, customer journey improvements and improved reporting suite and lead on implementation where appropriate. 4. Engage proactively in the NIFRS Service Improvement Programme by assisting on the modernisation of procurement and contract management systems and processes; supporting the migration into new systems and processes which will include taking ownership of some operational change implementation.

People Management 1. Maintain good working relationships with team members as well as within the wider finance department and organisation. 2. Provide and participate in the training of existing and new staff on all relevant legislation, policies, processes and procedures and the general running of the office. 3. Assist the Accounts Team Manager in supporting the Procure to Pay Administrators to carry out their Procurement tasks. General Responsibilities 1. To prepare appropriate business cases, tenders and quotations, in line with financial and procurement regulations, policies and procedures and corporate timescales. 2. To provide a high level of internal and external customer service including taking ownership of customer queries and complaints and following issues through to completion. 3. To ensure continued and effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including Senior Management and the Department of Health. 4. To deputise for the Procurement and Contracts Manager as required to ensure resilience as far as practicable. 5. Develop and maintain a knowledge of the Accounts Payable function and relevant guidance to enable provision of support and resilience to the Procure to Pay Administrators when necessary. 6. To undertake the duties in such a way as to enhance and protect the reputation and public profile of NIFRS. 7. To comply with, and enforce, all NIFRS frameworks, policies and procedures, including but not limited to those relating to legal requirements such as equality, health and safety and information governance. 8. To direct and signpost managers and officers to the appropriate source for issues outside the remit of this post. 9. To undertake project work as directed by the Procurement and Contracts Manager using the principles of good project management. 10. To participate as directed in the NIFRS recruitment and selection procedures, in line with NIFRS Code of Practice on Recruitment and Selection. 11. To undertake any other duties which may be assigned to meet organisational need and the change agenda and which are reasonably regarded as within the nature of the duties, responsibilities and grade of the post as defined. Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Possess a minimum of an HNC or equivalent* qualification in a relevant discipline e.g. finance, business management, governance; PLUS
• Have a minimum of two years’ demonstrable experience working in a procurement environment within a large** organisation. OR
• Possess at least 5 GCSEs at Grades A* - C / 9 - 4 (or equivalent*) including English Language and Mathematics; PLUS
• Have a minimum of four year’s demonstrable experience working in a procurement environment within a large** organisation.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience continued

• Demonstrate excellent planning and delivery of high quality work with excellent attention to detail.
• Demonstrate excellent management of working relationships skills and the ability to influence management.
• Demonstrate experience in the use of Information Technology systems including Microsoft Office Suite, and management information/Finance systems.
• Demonstrate your knowledge in relation to procurement and the procurement lifecycle to include procurement legislation applicable to Public Sector.

Other Requirements

• Possess a current driving licence or have access to a form of transport that will permit the candidate to meet the requirements of the post in full.