Procurement Specialist

Job introduction

Brighton & Hove City Council is part of Orbis Procurement, a shared services partnership with Surrey County Council and East Sussex County Council. Together, we manage around £2 billion in external supplier spend—from software and social care services to cleaning products and sports equipment.

The Procurement team provides expert advice to Brighton & Hove City Council officers responsible for purchasing goods, works, and services for the city. We support colleagues throughout the tendering process, helping them achieve savings and deliver wider benefits such as environmental sustainability and social value.

Our team plays a vital role in ensuring the Council secures best value for its purchases.

Interview date: To be confirmed

For an informal discussion, please contact Florence Hérault - Strategic Procurement Manager florence.herault@brighton-hove.gov.uk

About the role

We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds and encourage diversity in our team. Some prior procurement experience is desirable, along with an understanding of how public sector delivery influences purchasing strategies and practices.

What you will do:

• Undertake tendering activity with support from senior procurement officers
• Support Council officers with contract modifications
• Respond to procurement queries from officers across the council
• Liaise with the legal, insurance and finance teams to ensure goods and services are purchased compliantly.
• Maintain and update procurement systems

The role is varied and will give you the opportunity to support a range of procurement activities across the Council.

About You

You will be a self-motivated and hard-working individual who has excellent communication and problem-solving skills accompanied with good numerical skills. Ideally you will have some commercial experience which could include contract management, procurement or finance. Experience in project management or business administration could also be beneficial.

We are looking for someone who:

• Is self-motivated, proactive, and a creative problem-solver
• Has strong communication and stakeholders management skills
• Ideally has procurement/buying experience
• Can plan and organise effectively and is comfortable working to tight deadlines, even under pressure.
• Has good numerical skills
• Can work independently, taking ownership and responsibility for their workload.

What We Offer

• Professional development through fully funded CIPS qualifications, available via self-study or apprenticeship schemes (where available).
• Flexible working arrangements including Hybrid working.
• Annual leave
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on the community.
• Travel-related benefits, including cycle to work, travel loans, free bus travel for new starters and a public transport discount card.
• Generous Local Government Pensions Scheme (including Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme)
• Discounts through My Staff Shop, such as supermarket shop, car insurance, gym membership, lunch at a local café, days out with children, cinema tickets, holidays and beauty treatments (offers subject to availability).

We’re a collaborative and inclusive team that values flexibility and individuality. Whether you're balancing work with family life, pursuing personal interests, or simply looking for a supportive environment, we’d love you to join us.

Please read our Apply for a job at the council pages carefully. They give you all the guidance you need to complete your application as well as information on what will happen after you’ve submitted your application and at interview.

As part of your application, you will need to upload your CV and answers to some shortlisting questions. Your answers to the shortlisting questions are the most important part of your application as they will be used in the shortlisting process to assess whether you meet the essential requirements for the role that are set out in the person specification and to decide whether you should be offered an interview. Before you start your application, please read our guidance here (CV guidance) and Shortlisting questions guidance as this gives important advice which will increase your chance of success in the shortlisting process.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is less than 37 hours or term-time only.

We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work life balance and team collaboration. These would be part of your individual working arrangements alongside any personal preference agreed with your manager in advance of joining. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team and travel to and from your contractual location would be at your own expense.

For more information about our values and the benefits of working at the council, visit Why work for us

Company information

Encouraging a diverse workforce

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.

Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce (brighton-hove.gov.uk).