Senior Procurement Advisor

Team / Directorate:  Procurement / Communications, Customer and Commercial

Starting salary:  £41,132 rising to £44,988 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)

Contract type: Permanent

Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)

Post number: 201747,203950,203951,201749

The role

As a Senior Procurement Advisor at Natural Resources Wales (NRW), you’ll be part of a dynamic team at the heart of delivering sustainable public value. Our work is as diverse as the natural environment we protect – supporting a wide range of business areas including Civil Engineering, Forest Operations, Land Management, ICT, Fleet, Facilities and more.

Aligned to strategic procurement categories, you will provide expert support to Contract Managers across the organisation. This is a highly rewarding opportunity to work across complex, meaningful projects that directly contribute to the delivery of NRW’s Corporate Objectives, Commercial Strategy and Service Plans. From implementing best practice procurement to ensuring compliance with legislation and policy, your role will help drive value for money and enable better outcomes for Wales’ natural resources.

You will work across a number of key procurement categories such as Corporate and People Services, Forestry Operations, Digital Data and Technology, Laboratories, Environmental and Marine services, Consultancy, and Nature and Climate Services. Your expertise will also be called upon to support additional high-priority deliverables as required – playing an integral part in NRW’s response to the climate and nature emergency.

We’re looking for experienced and professionally qualified procurement professionals, with a strong understanding of public sector procurement frameworks. Ideally, you’ll be a full member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), or hold a relevant degree in business management, supply chain or administration. If you are not already qualified to CIPS Level 6, you’ll be expected to work towards achieving this.

This is more than just a procurement role – it’s an opportunity to help shape a greener, more sustainable Wales

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Karl Pugh at Karl.pugh@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

Successful external applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. We aim to make offers of appointment within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About us

At NRW, procurement is about more than just purchasing – it's about delivering meaningful outcomes for the environment, the economy and the people of Wales. Our Procurement Mission reflects our commitment to excellence, sustainability and public value.

We are here to:

• Provide clear leadership and strategic direction
  Our work supports NRW’s vision, values and corporate well-being objectives. We collaborate across the organisation to ensure that procurement decisions are fully aligned with our long-term goals and national priorities.
• Use our procurement power wisely and responsibly
  We aim to deliver maximum value for money, using our influence to secure high-quality goods, services and works that meet the needs of NRW and our stakeholders.
• Champion sustainable, modern and innovative procurement
  We actively seek out new technologies, smarter ways of working and environmentally responsible solutions. Sustainability is not an add-on – it’s embedded in everything we do.
• Deliver a professional, customer-focused service
  We provide procurement that is fit for purpose, fully compliant, and grounded in best practice. Fairness, transparency and accountability underpin every process we manage.

In essence, our mission is to be a trusted enabler of NRW’s well-being objectives – driving progress through collaboration, insight and expert commercial leadership

 

What you will do

• Support the delivery of an integrated and professional procurement service in support of category management (and NRW corporate objectives), providing advice to clients on strategic procurement issues and contributing to the development of NRWs procurement strategy.    
• Hold accountability under Committing our Money, ensuring robust, compliant and value for money outcomes.   
• Analyse a range of complex information to identify cost improvement opportunities within Category spend & Delivery Plans, to include a review of contractual agreements.
• Deliver procurement outcomes and improvements (in cost, efficiency, value or quality) in accordance with agreed targets and key performance indicators.
• Build and maintain influential and collaborative relationships with internal customers to insure awareness of the opportunities, risks and best practice relevant to procurement, influencing the work of our internal customers to provide positive outcomes.
• Provide specialist advice and guidance in order to manage commercial and sustainability risk, to improve ways of working and drive efficiency, as evidenced by savings and overall value.
• Provide procurement leadership and support in prescribed areas of activity working with a range of people from across the organisation.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with the Welsh Government, the National Procurement Service for Wales, Sponsored Bodies, Agencies, service providers and other stakeholders
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.

1. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (Full Membership or working towards).
2. Substantial experience as a Procurement practitioner, in the application of knowledge and the specific requirements of the post.
3. Substantial experience of influencing procurement decisions at a project level.
4. Experience of undertaking and leading procurement exercises, demonstrating success with their delivery.
5. Experience of undertaking high level and complex negotiations with supply partners.
6. Transferrable experience of using procurement to deliver business objectives.
7. Understanding of procurement concepts, practices, governance & techniques, & maintenance of this through a range of interests & peer group interaction.

Welsh language level requirements

Essential:   Level A1 – able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Benefits 

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion.   We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

We are committed to equal opportunities and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.  

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards.  Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills. 

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