The David Ross Education Trust is now recruiting for a Procurement Officer.

Are you an exceptional procurement professional looking to join an organisation that values your professional development? Do you have experience of tendering, contract management, and managing suppliers and are now looking for your next career move? We strive to deliver effective procurement solutions to ensure our continued provision of a world-class education to our pupils.

This role offers a range of fantastic benefits, including access to a very generous defined benefit Local Government Pension Scheme, 31 days annual leave, and statutory holidays. We will also offer the right candidate support with CIPS qualification fees.

About the role

Permanent role within our Trust, Full Time Hours ( 37 hours per week ) Part Time hours available.

Reporting to the Head of Procurement, you will be responsible for helping to ensure we achieve value for money in all areas of supplier spend, always ensuring compliance with procurement legislation and good practices.

Manage requests for quotations, direct awards from compliant frameworks and other routine procurement exercises from initiation through to recommendation and mobilisation.

Support the delivery of formal tenders and more complex procurement projects.

Advise colleagues on appropriate procurement routes and the use of compliant frameworks.

Coordinate tender clarifications, evaluations and moderation activities, maintaining accurate records and audit trails.

Draft procurement documentation, award letters, contract variations and procurement reports using approved templates.

Prepare first drafts of contracts and associated documentation for review where required.

Complete supplier onboarding and due diligence checks, including financial standing, insurance, safeguarding and regulatory compliance.

Monitor contract expiry dates, renewal pipelines and procurement milestones to help ensure timely procurement activity.

Support contract management and supplier performance reviews.

Assist with the resolution of supplier queries and routine contract issues.

You will be a member of our finance and procurement team - based at our friendly Head Office in Loughborough - working collaboratively with our schools and business support teams.

Act as the first point of contact for routine procurement queries from schools and central departments.

Build effective working relationships with stakeholders and provide practical procurement advice that supports compliant decision-making.

Assist in developing guidance and promoting procurement best practice across the Trust.

If you would like to find out more about this opportunity, we welcome an informal conversation. Please contact Lorna Baker at LBaker1@dret.co.uk

Salary & Benefits

NJC 25: £36,363.00 FTE per annum
Access to generous defined benefit Local Government Pension Scheme
31 days annual leave plus statutory holidays
Support with CIPS qualification fees
Flexibility to consider part-time working if desired
On-site parking
Commitment to employee Health and Wellbeing including dedicated Employee Assistance Programme
Cycle to Work Scheme

Who we are looking for

Have proven experience within procurement or in tendering, contract management and managing supplier relationships and data.
Be highly organised, with the ability to plan, organise workloads to meet deadlines and manage conflicting demands.
Highly proficient in Microsoft packages - particularly Excel.
Be a strong communicator, with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
GCSE English and Maths Grade B / 6 or higher.
Educated to degree standard or equivalent - desirable
CIPS qualification or willingness to work toward - desirable
Experience of drafting or reviewing procurement documentation, reports or contracts.
Good understanding of public procurement legislation and procurement best practice.

About The David Ross Education Trust

The David Ross Education Trust's mission is to give every child attending one of our schools a world-class education.

We are a network of unique and diverse academies across the country, committed to delivering a world-class, knowledge-rich education that empowers pupils to reach their fullest potential. Spanning North Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North-East Lincolnshire, the East Midlands and London, our network of 36 academies serves over 14,600 pupils and employs 2,300 dedicated staff.

Our family of schools includes 24 primaries, 10 secondaries, an all-through school in London's Olympic Park, and a special school in Lincolnshire supporting pupils aged 2-19 with a broad range of special educational needs. As one of only 11 system leaders nationwide, we are recognised for our unwavering commitment to educational excellence, our innovative curriculum, and ability to drive sustained school improvement at scale. At the heart of our Mission is a deep belief in the transformative power of education. We are committed to ensuring that every child - regardless of their background - has access to an exceptional academic experience enriched by extensive co-curricular opportunities. From small rural primaries to large urban secondaries, our academies benefit from the strength of a collaborative, values-driven community, in which expertise is shared, best practices are embedded, and each school retains its distinctive character.

We broaden the horizons of young people by inspiring students to become their confident, academic best via an education that creates academically gifted, confident, well-rounded young people in the classroom, in the workplace and in their communities.

We are driven to provide our young people with access to a world-class education and enrichment experiences. Our students benefit from a wealth of opportunities to develop, learn and lead. From the classroom to cultural visits, sports, music and arts and engaging with our local communities, the rich and varied experiences we create help fuel ambition and unlock potential. The education and experiences we offer equips our young people with the leadership skills, team spirit, resilience and confidence to become outstanding citizens.

Whatever your role you will contribute towards creating a rich and exciting learning environment that also offers our students an unrivalled package of sporting and cultural enrichment.

We are incredibly lucky to be able to work alongside outstanding organisations and individuals who are happy to share their expertise and skills in supporting the David Ross Foundation's vision to give children better life chances through access to the best education and support we can give them.

Apply now

To complete our on-line application form, please use the 'apply now' tab.

Early applications are advised. We receive high numbers of applications for our roles and therefore have to close the vacancy prior to the closing date in order to review candidates' details against our job criteria before shortlisting or re-opening the vacancy.

The David Ross Education Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

It is our objective to ensure that job applicants and staff are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential. We do not discriminate against any applicants on the basis of any protected characteristics.

The David Ross Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo vetting appropriate to the post, including a social media presence check and Enhanced DBS check. The successful applicant will be expected to adhere to all safeguarding, welfare and health and safety policies and procedures of the Trust.

All pre-employment checks are in line with "Keeping Children Safe in Education" statutory guidance.

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Procurement Officer