About the job

Job summary

Diverse Perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The primary purpose of this job role is to deliver a contract letting and procurement function managing end-to-end procurement and contract letting processes in accordance with the relevant Procurement Regulations.

Job description

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent regulator for work-related health and safety. We act in the public interest to reduce work-related illness, death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces.

The Procurement Unit aims to provide commercial focus in the procurement service it provides to the organisation and to implement a more consistent approach to managing strategically important contracts in accordance with the Government Commercial Function principles to help us meet the challenges we face and support the business in delivering its regulatory and commercial functions. To achieve this we;

• Deliver a centralised requisitioning and procurement function which includes raising non-catalogue requisitions, sourcing, tendering and contract letting;

• Provide a contract management function for HSE’s central services contracts; managing both the contractual arrangements and supplier relationships;

• Provide support to Science Directorate in relation to its sales/commercial contracting opportunities. 

• Oversee a Contract Management structure and approach which ensures that high value and strategic contracts are effectively managed in accordance with Government Commercial Function principles.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work. There will be a requirement to travel to the office for various activities e.g., collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, the arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

Please note: there will be a period of training which will be involved with this role, you will be required to attend the office for this training period 3-5 days per week until the training has been completed. This will be an agreement with your line manager if you are successful. 

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 22.5 hours per week.

Person specification

• Support internal stakeholders in all aspect of the contract letting process including pre-market engagement; developing procurement strategies; developing statement of service requirements and evaluation approaches ensuring the timely re-competition and extension of contracts to support business requirements;

• Manage the procurement process, supporting stakeholders throughout the negotiation process.

• Manage supplier performance and conduct service reviews for central service contracts.

• Oversee the administration process of contracts and supplier management, including liaison with stakeholders and HSE business representatives as required.

• Providing general advice on the contracts, suppliers and processes in place while ensuring supplier database is kept up-to-date.

• Support stakeholders in managing the compliance to the formal contracts with the external suppliers and supporting the management of a contracts register for all HSE contracts.

• Undertake the ‘buyer’ role within Standard Operating Platform (SOP).

Essential Skills and Criteria

• Ability to work as part of a team and use initiative to deliver outcomes;

• Strong communication skills (both written and oral) to persuade and influence both internal and external stakeholders;

• Competent MS Office skills, particularly Word and Excel;

• Excellent time management and planning skills

Additional information: 

As part of this role, you will gain the following knowledge, experience whilst in post. This is a perfect opportunity for someone looking to broaden their skills within Procurement: 

• Procurement processes utilising a range of procurement routes
• Contract negotiations
• Single Operating Platform (SOP) which is used across a number of Government Departments and managed by Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL) 
• Knowledge, understanding or experience of Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS)

You will also commence study within 6 months of taking up duty to become Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Practitioner Level (or equivalent if not already held). 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,316, Health and Safety Executive contributes £7,402 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application Information

As part of the application process, you will be required to submit a CV which outlines your current and previous skills and experience, you should tailor your CV so it relates to the role. You will be asked to complete a Personal Statement (no more than 500 words), further information will be included on the application form. 

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/  

Sift information

At sift, you will be assessed on your CV and Personal Statement.

The sift is due to take place from the week commencing 5th of February 2024.

Interview information

Interviews will be scheduled for week commencing 19th of February 2024.

You will assessed on the behaviours detailed in the job advert.

The Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams.

Further Information

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application.

For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached document. 

Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at here.

If you have a disability and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk  

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further;
Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.