Senior Procurement Manager

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

Pay Band – 8

Contract Type – Indefinite

Location – Malaysia - Wisma Selangor Dredging

Closing date – Tuesday 15th July 2024 at 23:59 UK time

You must have the legal right to work in Malaysia at the time of application.

There is no relocation or sponsorship support.

British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

About the role:

The Senior Procurement Manager is part of the Global Procurement team, The Global Procurement function is split into clusters and this role will report to a Procurement Director delivering procurement requirements within that cluster.

The Senior Procurement Manager will support the Global Procurement strategy and is responsible for supporting cluster initiatives.

This role will lead and promote cross-country procurement activities and ensure larger scale collaboration opportunities are considered or undertaken where appropriate. Working with the Global Category Managers, they will deliver the global and cluster approach at country/ cluster level.

Below is a summary of the knowledge and skills required for this role however for the detailed role profile, providing a more in depth understanding of all the role entails, please send an email to

Main Responsibilities

Strategy and Planning

• Supports the Cluster Head of procurement in developing the Strategic Sourcing plan for the cluster.
• Plans procurement activity according to spend profile and benefit realisation with the involvement of the Category management team.
• Leads on the delivery of projects contributing to the Strategic Sourcing plan for the cluster.
• Plans the annual benefit target according to project with an updated benefit pipeline.
• Ensures the cluster pipeline activity is kept up-to-date and update team and Procurement Director regularly on pipeline activity progression.
• Supports the roll-out of the departmental learning and development strategy, to ensure on-going improvement in procurement capability.
• Thinks and acts strategically - balancing the strategic with the operational and helping to shape the long term commercial agenda

Consultancy, analysis & problem-solving

• Consults closely with internal customers and other stakeholder to understand current and future business needs (likely to be on a quarterly time horizon), and plans work activities accordingly to ensure the services and advice they provide meets those demands
• Builds an in-depth understanding of the procurement opportunities and challenges facing internal customer(s), and of how those relate to wider issues across the broader organisation, to ensure the development of procurement governance and practices based on informed business insight and joined-up thinking
• Supports Procurement Director and other stakeholders in finding solutions to procurement matters raised applying advanced procurement sourcing knowledge to solve a range of complex business issues.
• Devises non-standard or bespoke analytical approaches to understand complex problems and enable informed business-planning, decision-making and/or the development of new or improved policies and practice
• Deploys a range of specialist or bespoke approaches for procurement initiatives to support the provision of high-quality services and advice.
• Distils complex concepts and analysis into cogent and persuasive business case presentations, which convincingly influence decision-makers about the need for significant changes to policy or practice

Service improvement

• Identifies and makes recommendations to Deputy CPO for improvements to ways of working that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the corporate procurement, as well as the operational effectiveness of their internal customers.
• Makes technical/professional recommendations which have a measurable impact on local business performance (e.g., in terms of efficiency, quality, reliability, mitigation of risk, productivity, profitability or customer satisfaction)
• Actively champions and monitors staff compliance with the agreed corporate policies and practices relevant to their area of functional expertise; investigating reasons for non-compliance.
• Seeks to improve business process for the customers benefit, contributing ideas to support the development of discipline-wide and customer-specific business plans and priorities.

Functional expertise

• Provides expert professional advice, support and challenge to internal customers and other stakeholders to support the development of high quality, effective and continuously improving business practices within procurement.
• Provides specialist, functional expertise advice or ideas into the development and implementation of corporate or regional change projects.
• Pro-actively pursues an annual cycle of formally recognised Continuing Professional Development to maintain and deepen their professional expertise.
• Contributes to the development and delivery of training and guidance of other professionals in the field.

Commercial & Financial management

• Using agreed corporate systems and processes, plans and manages the core budget for their area of activity, and for any special initiatives or change projects for which they are responsible.
• Develops sourcing plans short term and long-term plans for each area of significant value aligned to procurement objectives.
• Works closely with Category management team to ensure key benefits are being delivered aligning to the Category strategy and procurement best practices.
• Applies judgement as a commercial manager.

Relationship & stakeholder management

• Develops peer/personal networks within and outside the British Council to enhance own knowledge and expertise.
• Develops close relationships with designated SBUs to understand the complex nature of SBU's needs.
• Inspires knowledge sharing - recognising and championing the recognition of the work of others
• Protects own reputation by building trust amongst business colleagues.

Leadership & management

• Provides formal line management to a small team, consisting of staff both within and beyond the local office base.
• Drives change by engaging teams in change, communicating context clearly and modelling change for others, articulating a compelling picture of the future.
• Develops talent and team culture to get the best from the team, encouraging high performers, and managing low performers effectively.
• Plans and prioritises own work activities to ensure effective delivery of diverse responsibilities and deliverables over a quarterly to annual time horizon.
• Determines work plans and co-ordinates input from others (who may be outside the direct management line) to meet specific objectives.
• Encourages social and ethical action, inspires enthusiasm and success.
• Seen as a role model of British Council behaviours and values.

Role Specific Skill

• Strong capability in Strategic sourcing
• Strong capability in use and improvement of Procurement systems
• Strong capability in application of Procurement Best practice
• Strong capability in design, operation and improvement of Procurement controls
• Capability to structure pricing models to support complex initiatives, establishing the best pricing tools to obtain optimal results
• Capability to lead teams in complex negotiations

Minimum/essential requirements

Extensive experience of working in a similar role at a similar level managing procurement projects and managing a team of procurement professionals.

Experience of managing bundling of existing outsourced initiatives, throughout a complex project for a single stakeholder.

• In-depth understanding of procurement processes and complex competitive bidding
• Significant understanding of legal and operational risks.
• Good understanding of complex contractual provisions and Supplier Relationship management
• Good business understanding

Desirable

• Extensive experience with Strategic Sourcing and managing stakeholders
• Experience in managing procurement teams or Categories

Language Requirements

The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required

Education and Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree holder or has relevant experience in category Management / procurement
• Qualified member of a professions body, e.g. CIPS or other relevant body or equivalent experience

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council's Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email

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