Purchasing Officer

Purchasing Officer

Role Information:
Reference: REQ001488
Location: Filton Campus
FTE Salary:  Up to £31,815.00 (Salary is dependent on qualifications and experience)
Contract Type: Full time, Permanent
Working Hours: 37 hours per week

SGS is an Equal Opportunities and Disability Confident employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

Financial Rewards and Benefits:

• Opportunity to make a positive impact within the community and on learners’ lives
• Competitive Pension Scheme- Corporate and support roles have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), a flexible and pension accessible from the age of 55, with generous employer contributions of 16%.
• Generous Annual leave entitlement plus the 8 bank holidays- 25 days corporate and support functions, increasing to 30 days after 5 academic years’ service (Full-Time Equivalent).
• Two weeks leave during the Christmas closedown period largely supported by the discretionary closure days provided by the College.
• Extensive professional development with ongoing support for your personal & professional development, including 25% tuition discount for immediate family of SGS employees.
• Family friendly policies and a proven commitment to supporting flexible working practices
• Access to ‘My Lifestyle’ discounted shopping benefits, cycle to work scheme and a Technology Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Free Annual Eye test
• All staff members can buy a TOTUM card(formerly known as NUS Extra cards), as part of being an affiliate member of the Students' Union 
• Staff have access and supported to be part of inclusive or sustainable staff networks and communities
• Free car parking at all campuses (Except Queens Road Art School)
• Access to a wide variety of external health and wellbeing resources
• Subsidised onsite catering services including Costa Coffee

South Gloucestershire & Stroud College has an excellent reputation for delivering further education and work-based programmes in a range of subjects – from business to sport, construction to media, GCSE’s and A Levels to Honour Degree level programmes.

Our experienced and passionate staff work hard to help students and colleagues achieve their personal challenges and career goals. We are proud of SGS and committed to making the College the best it can be. We are currently working hard to achieve “Outstanding” status after being classified as “Good” in our last inspection. For more information, please visit https://www.sgscol.ac.uk/

About the Role

To support the Procurement function with purchasing activities, with a key focus on Construction-related procurement. You will also and contribute to wider quotation, tendering, and project activity to support the function and deliver non-pay cost savings.

The Ideal Candidate Will:

• Demonstrate proven experience or strong interest in procurement or purchasing, ideally within a multi-site or public sector environment
• Be highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy under pressure
• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to advise and influence stakeholders at all levels across the College
• Have strong negotiation skills and a commercial mindset, with the ability to identify cost-saving opportunities and deliver value for money
• Be proactive and solutions-focused, with a keen eye for process improvement and efficiency
• Be comfortable managing supplier relationships, contracts, and supporting tendering activities
• Work effectively both independently and collaboratively, contributing positively to a supportive team environment
• Have strong IT skills, particularly in Excel, Word, Teams, and experience using procurement or e-procurement systems
• Show a willingness to learn and develop knowledge of financial and procurement regulations, including framework agreements
• Be adaptable and flexible, able to work across different departments and College sites as required
• Demonstrate a commitment to supporting the College’s wider objectives, including delivering value, enhancing services, and supporting student success

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Support the Construction team with material purchases and purchasing support
• Support departments & faculties to save non-pay costs
• Advise staff members on support available and financial regulations
• Maintain and develop purchasing systems and administration
• Support the Purchasing team on project work
• Manage external supplier relationships and contracts
• Support with budget responsibility
• To find areas for review to identify cost savings and process improvements
• To support a wide range of purchasing and tender activities
• Continue to develop and monitor departmental SharePoint site and e-procurement systems
• Become familiar with Financial Regulations, Procurement Regulations and use of Frameworks
• Strong negotiation skills
• Support on range of large cross College contracts
• Working across College sites as required

Beneficial Skills & Qualifications

• Previous experience in a procurement or purchasing role (public sector experience desirable)
• Experience supporting tenders, quotations, or contract management
• Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
• Confident IT user (Teams, Excel, Word, and Teams)
• Experience working across multiple teams or departments

Please apply online by: Monday 20th July

Expected Interview Date: Week Commencing 27th July

If you have any queries please contact [email protected]

SGS College is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and any offer of employment will be subject to a number of conditions including a requirement for providing satisfactory references. In line with KCSIE and having regard to all relevant guidance, a range of checks and online searches will also be conducted for successful candidates, and a satisfactory DBS Enhanced Disclosure will need to be obtained as a requirement of the job.