Procurement Portfolio Officer (3946)

Job summary

Are you a strong communicator who enjoys engaging with a wide range of stakeholders across an organisation? If so, this could be the perfect role for you. Social Security Scotland are looking for a B1 Procurement Portfolio Officer.

Procurement is much more than buying the goods, services or works the public sector need. Colleagues in the profession balance cost, quality and time considerations. It’s also about ensuring we use our collective spending power to innovate and to deliver social, economic and environmental outcomes aligned to Scotland’s National Performance Framework. For more information on the work Social Security Scotland’s Procurement team do, please see the following link: Procurement and commercial - Social Security Scotland

As a Procurement Portfolio Officer, you’ll be responsible for managing the procurement of public contracts across a wide variety of goods and services—many of which support some of the most vital areas of government.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a dynamic and supportive environment, as part of a professional procurement team delivering and managing contracts for Social Security Scotland. The role also offers excellent prospects for career development within a specialist and impactful profession. We also offer study leave and financial support to help you build your career by undertaking professional studies with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)

Job description

Responsibilities

• Leading end-to-end low- and medium-value/risk procurements and supporting senior procurement staff on high-value/risk procurements, ensuring compliance with legislation and optimising value for money while addressing Scottish Government.
• Engaging effectively and building good working relationships with a range of customers and strategic suppliers to deliver credible procurement projects.
• Providing advice and guidance on procurement policy and procedures and best practice to staff and stakeholders. Responsible for communicating business issues clearly and concisely.
• Using appropriate procurement tools, techniques, best practice and systems in the procurement project activity, and supporting team members and leaders in managing the team MI and systems.
• Supporting Senior Procurement staff with contract management by preparing agendas, taking meeting minutes, and tracking action items.
• Working flexibly within the team, Division and across the Directorate to help deliver the organisation’s wider goals in line with the Directorate Plan.

Person specification

Qualifications
There are no qualification requirements for this role, however the successful candidate will be expected to work towards a CIPS Level 3 Advanced Certificate once in post.

Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience

1. An understanding of the delivery of the end-to-end public sector procurement cycle
   

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions - Level 2
  Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
  
• Communicating and Influencing – Level 2
  Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
  
• Managing a Quality Service – Level 2
  Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
  
• Delivering at Pace – Level 2
  Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
  

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Benefits

Annual Leave - You will receive 25 days annual leave on joining us. This will increase to 30 days after four full years of service. You will also have 11.5 public and privilege days of leave every year. We also offer Flexi-time. Any extra hours you've worked can be taken as leave when suitable.

A Civil Service Pension - This job comes with a Civil Service pension. New joiners to the Civil Service will join a career average pension scheme as standard. Read more here - www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk.

Healthy work life balance - We can offer the possibility of full-time, part-time, term-time, and job shares. We also encourage flexible working.

Discounts - You can enjoy a vast range of retail, travel and lifestyle discounts through our benefit scheme.

Personal support for you - Our Employee Assistance Programme gives you confidential, independent information and guidance 24/7.

Volunteering special leave - Up to six days paid special leave a year for volunteering. We support our staff to help causes important to them.

Great locations - Our bright and modern offices in the heart of Dundee and Glasgow have been designed with staff in mind. Both locations are ideal for public transport.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sift – 10th June 2026
Interview – week commencing 6th July 2026
Location – Microsoft Teams

To apply please submit an application form by clicking on the ‘Apply at Advertisers Site’ button.

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

Security

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Lauren.Lochhead@socialsecurity.gov.scot
• Email : Lauren.Lochhead@socialsecurity.gov.scot
• Telephone : 08001577194

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Further information

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/working-with-us/help-with-your-application