Social Value Procurement Technician

Fixed Term, Full Time

Up to £48,001 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Please note that this position is being offered as a Fixed Term Contract for a period of 12 months.

In line with our clients 'Ways of Working', this role has been deemed as an ‘Anywhere Worker’ position. This means you are able to work remotely for the majority of the time, with occasional trips to the office based on business need. Any journeys to the office would be at your own expense. More specific details about this can be discussed at the interview stage should you be invited to interview.

The Role

The role of the social value team is to work with Procurement staff, stakeholders and suppliers to ensure they understand social value, how to approach it in tenders and how to maximise potential for the benefit of local residents. Advocacy and ambassadorship are important aspects of the team’s roles as well as subject matter expertise, procedural advice and effective decision-making support.

The successful applicant will be joining the team at an exciting time, building on excellent foundations, to maximise social value for residents. They will be joining an ambitious, creative and supportive team with experience in social value and sustainability.

The Social Value Assistant Manager is one of our cadre of Category and Contracts Assistant Managers and will manage the social value advice and decision-making support to procurement and our clients in a compliant and timely manner, from pre-market engagement to responding to bid clarification questions. Directly accountable for implementing assigned social value procedures and assisting in the strategic management of social value creation plans and reporting, ensuring that service level agreements and key performance indicators are monitored, and any improvements are executed.

The postholder will lead research, options development and options appraisal for workstreams under the social value programme. Effective collaboration within multidisciplinary teams will be needed along with supporting the development of colleagues both within procurement and across the Authority.

This will include working with internal and external partners on communications campaigns to raise awareness of social value priorities and opportunities to maximise delivery.

The Social Value Category and Contract Assistant Manager will represent the Procurement function internally and externally to further understanding of social value in target audiences, pursue collaborative opportunities with partners and network with peers to keep abreast of best practice.

Why work with us?

• Make a difference to the local community, be that infrastructure, climate change or adult social care and help us transform Essex to a circular economy as we redefine growth and focus on positive society-wide benefits.
• We are a very large procurement team with circa 120 staff and have seen the department grow by 25% over the last 18 months. Annual Spend of £1.2 billion.
• Great training pathways. Encouragement to all staff for their continual professional development with full support and guidance towards CIPS / MCIPS.
• Flexible working – with no official start or finish time you can make your work arrangement work around the other elements of your life offering a fantastic work / life balance.
• Pension Scheme.
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holiday.
• 37 hour working week.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Educated to degree level with a relevant professional qualification such as MCIPS or equivalent demonstrable work experience with evidence of continuing professional development. Equivalent public sector sales/bidding experience will also be considered.
• Knowledge of category management or its sales equivalents and experience of using this methodology in complex commercial environments to deliver significant cost or service improvements.
• Knowledge of social value and experience of implementing social value in tenders (in a procurement or sales context) in complex commercial environments to deliver significant cost or service improvements
• Evidence of some experience of managing change projects at an organisation-wide level.
• Evidence of some experience of delivering continuous improvements in strategic arrangements with evidence of generating significant cost and service benefits.
• Evidence of some knowledge of contract law and legislation relevant to social value and its impact on market management, finance and contractual arrangements.
• Extensive knowledge of public sector procurement law with an ability to explain the law to non-procurement staff and find pragmatic solutions to potential complex legal scenarios.

For full details and job description, please apply or contact danny.adderson@mosaic-recruitment.com / 01279 780000.