Senior Sourcing Specialist – Leeds
About the job
Job summary
Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you\’re seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it\’s really like to work at HMRC.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.
Commercial Directorate sits within the Chief Finance Officer\’s Group in HMRC and is accountable for all commercial arrangements covering the organisation\’s c£2.5 billion annual external spend. We are also part of the Government Commercial Function (GCF), which is essential in delivering high quality and value for money public services for UK taxpayers. We provide a comprehensive commercial service that includes providing market insight to support strategy development, helping shape business needs and engaging suppliers throughout the commercial lifecycle to deliver cost-effective business outcomes. We also manage commercial risk across HMRC and place emphasis on customer service to ensure all stakeholders are dealt with in a professional, courteous and efficient manner.
These roles sit within the IT Pre-Award Applications Team, responsible for c.£720m of HMRC\’s total annual spend with external suppliers. We are a high performing (finalist for two CIPS Excellence in Procurement & Supply Awards 2024) and supportive team, responsible for devising commercial strategies and delivering procurements for IT software and services, working alongside HMRC\’s Chief Digital and Information Officers\’ Group (CDIO). CDIO leads the Department\’s IT and security function and is responsible for all the technology powering one of the biggest digitally enabled transformations anywhere in Europe. Our team is a key enabler to this.
This is in exciting opportunity to develop your commercial skills in a supportive team and deliver high value, high standard, complex projects. Over the last 12 months we have delivered procurements totalling over £2.5bn through a range of different sized projects. The teams we support are responsible for HMRC\’s tax collection processes, customer relationship management and contact centres, and digital applications including Self-Assessment. The pipeline for future activity is over £4bn and you could be a part of this delivery.
Job description
The Applications team is spread across 4 locations and travel each month to get together in one of our offices (rotating locations) to share updates and collaborate. Our team are passionate about supporting our customers, improving our contractual agreements, and engaging with the supplier market to deliver high quality outcomes for taxpayers.
Please note, HMRC has a 60% office attendance requirement, exceptions may be made based on individual circumstances.
We are looking for procurement professionals capable of working in a fast-paced and complex environment. You will be responsible for delivering end-to-end procurements for IT services and software. You will:
- Work closely with your business stakeholders in designing fit for purpose and market-facing specifications and award criteria.
- Develop contractual documentation to support CDIO\’s requirements, including performance management regimes.
- Use HMRC\’s e-sourcing tool to build and run sourcing events.
- Manage the procurement process, including the evaluation and moderation of bids.
- Work closely with the supplier market at various stages in the procurement lifecycle, including market engagement and contract signature.
- Apply knowledge and expertise of relevant commercial approaches and routes to market.
- Likely line management of a small team of c.1 to 2 people.
Person specification
- Experience of delivering the end-to-end procurement process, including developing tender packs and reviewing specifications.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to build good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders in a procurement environment.
- Project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.
- The ability to provide clear and concise procurement advice.
- High-level analytical and problem-solving skills, and strong written and verbal communication skills.
- A proactive, solutions-focused mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement.
- Experience of using e-sourcing tools.
Essential Criteria:
- Experience in a procurement, commercial or buying role.
- Strong knowledge of writing contractual requirements and assessing specifications, and supporting stakeholders throughout these processes.
- A record of successfully delivering procurements on time and in line with business requirements.
- Experience in preparing, reviewing, and agreeing contract terms and conditions and commercial schedules.
- Proven experience in working with the supplier market, for example, to deliver market engagement or negotiation.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including suppliers, internal teams, and senior management.
- Ability to influence and build relationships, both internally and externally.
- Evidence of working flexibly across teams and working with a wide range of stakeholders to support competing priorities and demonstrating adaptability.
- MCIPS/equivalent qualification, or significant relevant experience.
Desirable Criteria:
- Procurement experience in a public sector environment or regulated industry. For example, working under the Procurement Regulations 2015.
- Understanding of IT software and services.
Candidate Profiles
To support your decision to apply for this role, we have developed some candidate profiles. Candidate profiles for this role may include, but are not limited to:
\”I work in procurement for a local council and am looking to apply my skills to more complex and higher value requirements.\”
\”I work in procurement and I\’m confident in my ability to source contracts, but I am ready for a new challenge in a different team.\”
\”I work in the private sector but I\’m looking to join the civil service. I have experience buying goods and services and working within a regulated environment.\”
Qualifications
MCIPS/equivalent qualification, or significant relevant experience.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £44,110, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £12,778 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Pension – We make contributions to our colleagues\’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
- Family friendly policies.
- Personal support.
- Coaching and development.
To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it\’s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
- A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences.
- A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Statement should outline how you meet the essential criteria, your suitability for the role and what experience you bring to the role.
Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at sift or interview.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.
Sift
At sift, your CV and Personal Statement, will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.
Interview
During the panel interview, your experience will be assessed.
Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days(Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – \’Please re-open my application – (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date)\’.
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 6 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we\’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the \”Assistance required\” section in the \”Additional requirements\” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you\’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:
Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.
Terms and Conditions
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant\’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the \’Contact point for applicants\’ section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window)….