The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.
We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Procurement Officer – W/Africa Cluster (PCO)
Location: Lagos
Role Type: Advisory, Policy and Expertise
Pay Band: PB4/H
Duration: Indefinite
Department: Business Support Services
Reports to: Procurement Manager W/A
Role Purpose
- To support implementation of procurement processes at the British Council Nigeria within SubSahara Africa region to maximise efficiency and ensure compliance with global procurement policies and processes as well as the consistent adaptation of good commercial and professional practice whilst ensuring probity at all time.
- To turn procurement requisitions into contracts or orders through market engagement by way of tendering or any such competitive, transparent, efficient method that earns British Council best value for money.
- To provide assurance to Country Directors, Strategic Business Units and other users that robust procurement procedures are adhered to through monitoring, evaluation and complete control of end to end procurement, contract and supplier management.
Geopolitical/SBU/Function Overview
- British Council operates a cluster model formation whereby the SSA region is divided into 3 clusters (West Africa, Southern Africa and East & Horn of Africa). This role will serve Nigeria and support key implementations across W/Africa and various strategic business units who form the current internal customer base.
- The vision is to establish a globally aligned Procurement function within the West Africa cluster, equipped with the necessary skills and tools alongside a clear remit to deliver better value for money. This enhanced Procurement function will provide proactive, real-time, expert procurement support, allowing the business to focus on their core skills and deliver value in their specialist area.
- The role holder will develop a greater level of engagement with countries and strategic business units within the cluster and establishing a strong business partnering approach.
- The role holder will contribute to the ongoing Procurement Transformation in SSA as a high-performing region, modelling the values and principles of a collaborative, integrated and mutually supportive professional team.
- S/he will model the values and principles of a collaborative, integrated and mutually supportive team, which is committed to British Council equal opportunity and diversity policy.
Main Opportunities/challenges for this Role
- Supporting implementation of procurement strategies agreed with the country or strategic business unit.
- Offer advice on a routine basis for procurement in categories that do not have preferred/ contracted suppliers in place.
- Be vigilant on fraud and compliance with the global policy with country specific dynamics incorporated as guided by the cluster Senior Procurement Manager.
- Customer engagement through monitoring, coordinating, planning and reporting through progress reports that are country/ SBU specific etc including benefits tracking.
- Balancing strict adherence to the Global procurement policy with local content of the country specific uniqueness.
Main Accountabilities
Procurement activities implementation:
- Undertake defined threshold procurement process cycle activities for the cluster or where requests are received; ensure that the submissions comply with the policy and procedures. This includes quotations solicitation, coordination of quotations evaluation, contract drafting, approval checking, contracting signing coordination and contract register updating for every contract. Ensure that paper trail for all processes are kept in line with the policy on retention.
- Put in place and monitor cluster contracts including facilities contracts for leases, residences ensuring that end dates or renewals where applicable are done ahead of time. The monitoring shall be done using In-Tend and discussions with SBU and cluster leads as well as country managers in the cluster.
- Support with tendering and purchasing decisions for goods and services by ensuring that such sourcing is done in accordance with the global and country policy, procedure and processes..
- Support staff training on procurement, share knowledge and support staff by ensuring compliance with all aspects of procurement.
- Using spend analytics tools available, suggest categories or spend groups that could be consolidated within a country or cluster to yield more value for money for British Council while ensuring accurate management of purchasing and vendor usage.
Supplier and contract management:
- Support effective management of the vendor contracts, ensuring all contracts and leases are up to date and are logged on to In-Tend or the agreed system. Support vendor evaluation as per contract and service level agreements.
- Support the vendor creation/ amendment process and facilitate the necessary due diligence checks are evidenced.
- Support management of the Preferred Supplier List (PSL) through In-Tend through set/ agreed controls as well as having a robust supply data base on a continuous basis.
- Regular/ monthly reporting of expenditure and initiatives devised and monitored – to ensure good value of money across Strategic Business Units within the cluster.
- Support initiatives such as vendor capacity building or education day, surveys and/ or open days, that seek to demystify British Council procurement for stakeholders and ensure the outcome/ corrective actions identified are dealt with appropriately or escalated for action/ redress.
- To be knowledgeable about, and engaged with, the British Council Values, code of conduct and Equal Opportunity and Diversity guidelines.
Risk Management:
- Support the management of audit recommendations and incorporation of agreed actions relating to procurement tasks to ensure non-occurrence of previous audit queries for subsequent audits by carrying-out random/ quarterly compliance and due diligence checks on systems, procedures and suppliers and findings communicated.
- Incorporate risk management tool that is flexible and dynamic to the cluster business and supply market that ensures risks are mitigated and/ or transferred appropriately.
- Support specific projects or initiatives that improve efficiencies and/ or increase compliance and yield benefits to British Council.
Cost Optimisation:
- Contribute towards cost optimisation by way of benefits tracking and periodic reporting for all contracts within the cluster.
- Cost optimisation potentials identification and targets setting at the start of every financial period, during planning for every category and/ or spend group with subsequent contribution towards monthly/ quarterly reporting.
Key Relationships
Internal:
- Cluster lead and country directors;
- Country managers in countries serviced by the cluster;
- Corporate Procurement;
- Operational teams who monitor service performance;
- Service owners who are the primary interface into the business;
- Strategic Business Unit (SBU) management teams;
- Functional management teams; and
- Geographic management teams.
External:
- Suppliers.
- Commercial and supplier management colleagues in our partners across government, especially Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Crown Commercial Services (CCS) and Cabinet Office.
Person Specification
Language Requirements:
- English Proficiency Level C1/C2
Qualifications
Essential:
- Diploma or degree level qualification in a relevant discipline or relevant experience.
Desirable:
- Membership with Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/ other equivalent professional accreditation with advanced certificate or foundation diploma status.
Role Specific Knowledge & Experience
Essential:
- Minimum of three years post-graduation working in a procurement officer or similar support role.
Desirable:
- Multi-cultural, cross border experience.
Role Specific Skills
Essential:
- Market intelligence
- Tender documents preparation
- Periodic planning, monitoring, control and reporting within procurement function.
- Contract drafting (agreement etc)
- Procurement activity planning and tracking.
- Bids/ returns evaluation.
Desirable:
- Flexibility, creativity, risk management, stakeholder engagement Working in a cross border environment.
British Council Core Skills
- Communicating and influencing.
- Managing projects.
- Procurement/ finance and resource management.
- Commercial and business development.
- Account and partnership management.
British Council Behaviours
Behaviour (Level Essential):
- Creating shared purpose.
- Connecting with others.
- Working together.
- Being accountable.
Deadline: 25th March, 2019 (23:59 UK time).
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Click here to download Job Details
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