Deputy Head of Procurement Hub - (56/22 PTA) at HM Government

Main Purpose of Role:

• Based in Pretoria and reporting to the Head of Hub, the jobholder will provide procurement/commercial expertise to the Africa regional procurement hub based in Pretoria, Kenya and Nigeria.  The jobholder will have a line management and coordination role across the different locations, with responsibility for the procurement life cycle across the regional network including Embassies, High Commissions and posts, ensuring compliance to FCDO global policy and UK procurement regulations.
• The jobholder will provide guidance and support to stakeholders through management of the Hubs on daily procurement activities and the most complex procurement requirements. Increasing commercial influence of procurement and commercial improvements across the region to deliver Value for Money (VfM) and alignment to transparency initiatives for the FCDO.
• The jobholder will work closely with the heads of hub, to establish the hubs service offering and working with the wider team to implement across the region.  Building key relationships with stakeholders at Post they will be influential in work planning and risk mitigation leading to continuous improvement to the delivery of an efficient service. 
• Part of this role will include building relationships with the UK and wider hubs network to collaborate on workstreams to proactively seek opportunities to drive efficiencies globally. 
• Alignment and input into the UK category strategies ensuring local knowledge is captured and used to influence where required. 
• Through strong management skills the job holder will have responsibility for the management of the team, effective work planning and efficient resource allocation will be required to ensure the team provide a quality service across the region. They will provide support and coordination of the team’s activities ensuring trust is built through encouragement and empowerment. 
• The job holder will be self-starter, requiring emotional intelligence with a solution orientated mindset. 

Roles and responsibilities:

• Line management and coordination responsibilities of the team, ensuring effective leadership to include work and resource planning enabling the team to provide a high-quality service
• Provide support and coordination of the team’s daily activities to ensure all procurement/commercial outputs are compliant
• Development of team though supporting L&D learning opportunities, ensuring trust is built through encouragement and empowerment
• Creativity and innovation will be required when developing and implementing service requirements for complex procurements to ensure value for money is achieved
• Stakeholder
• Provide input to category plans where necessary and ensure engagement in business cases and lead on the drafting on the commercial case for all planned in scope procurements or commercial activity requiring FCDO Commercial engagement in the area under your remit
• Influencing and alignment to category strategies development from the UK, ensuring hubs expertise of local markets is embedded, fit for purpose and included
• Work with the Head of Hub to develop, maintain and leverage effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• Actively work with stakeholders to review the range of commercial opportunities available to them and raise awareness and understanding of Commercial policy and best practice
• Proactively engage with stakeholders across the region to provide commercial advice, direction and assurance on all commercial issues
• Use judgement, interpretation and co-ordination to ensure that the solutions developed and delivered are acceptable to senior stakeholders and, when applicable, partners across government
• Use Judgement, interpretation and coordination to ensure effective solution resolution of risk and issues at both transactional and strategic level, escalating to the Head of Hub as required
• Ensure continuity and consistency of approach across the hub from project to project, using required tools, systems and processes to guide commercial activity and produce high quality commercial management information, sharing best practice with the wider hubs network
• Support the pipeline of projects and contracts using the FCDO eProcurement platform to enable accurate and timely reporting
• Provide input to category plans where necessary and ensure engagement in business cases and lead on the drafting on the commercial case for all planned in scope procurements or commercial activity requiring FCDO Commercial engagement in the area under your remit
• Resolve complex issues, including those that are perceived to be novel and contentious
• Provide management, support and advice to other members of the team to develop business requirements and viable solutions and provide oversight and assurance of tender documentation and procurement compliance
• Manage internal governance controls and support team in progressing through the respective assurance, governance and approvals processes
• Providing cover for the Head of Hub during periods of leave/absence
• Ad-hoc duties as required

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Line management of 3 X HEO (Procurement Managers), 2 X EO (Procurement Leads) 1 X AO (Procurement Officer)

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Commercial Technical Skills - Previous experience in leading on complex commercial situations and leading teams to deliver great commercial outcomes (demonstrable line management experience)
• Management and coordination skills
• Working Internationally - Previous experience in working in a procurement capacity which is regional / international and beyond domestic market
• Managing Change and Improvements - Evidence of the ability to identify potential improvements and successfully manage changes that deliver beneficial commercial outcomes

Team management

• Developing Self and Others - Experience in coaching and mentoring to build capability at all levels of a commercial function, including a team and direct reports
• Communicating and Influencing - Proven experience in influencing internal and external stakeholders
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business or related field; MCIPS or CPSM (or studying towards) or relevant certification or MBA
• Extensive English language and Spanish &/or Portuguese
• Required behaviours  
• Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Developing Self and Others

Application deadline  
4 January 2023
Grade  
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Type of Position  
Permanent
Working hours per week  
40 hours
Region  
Africa
Country/Territory  
South Africa
Location (City)  
Pretoria
Type of Post  
British High Commission
Number of vacancies  
1
Salary  
R 826,273.68 per annum
Start Date  
2 February 2023
Other benefits and conditions of employment  
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

• Continual professional development through CIPS certification up to MCIPS / or CPSM - Multiple Options.
• Foundation Level Contract Management Training - Government Commercial Office.

Working patterns:

• There may be requirement from time to time for early start times to ensure effective engagement with UK teams and other Hub teams on different time zones.
• The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.
• Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
• Working hours per week of 40

Additional information  

• Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
• Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
• The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
• Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
• All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit. 

The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to:

• Obtain the relevant permit
• Pay fees for the permit
• Make arrangements to relocate
• Meet the costs to relocate 
• The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so. 
• Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
• Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. Please note:  AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
• Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.

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