The Scottish Government
Senior Procurement Specialist
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Are you looking for a role where you can use your procurement and commercial skills and build relationships with a huge range of people? If so, then this exciting procurement opportunity could be for you.
As Senior Procurement Specialist you will play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with the public procurement regulations, identifying opportunities for savings and benefits and contributing to the wider government agenda, including improving business for Small & Medium Enterprises and delivering the sustainability agenda. The level of Delegated Purchasing Authority for this role is £5 million.
Reporting to the Procurement and Contract Services Portfolio Manager you will lead high value regulated tendering projects and manage, vary and extend contracts for a wide range of goods, services and works.
Responsibilities
- Lead the development, planning and implementation of procurement strategies for high-value, high-risk procurements optimising value for money for customers.
- Be able to lead and manage all stages of the end-to-end public sector procurement process. This includes from initial conception, strategy development, through the full procurement delivery cycle, to contract award, ensuring compliance with relevant public procurement legislation and Scottish Government procurement policies.
- Ensure that all stages of your procurement delivery address the Sustainable Procurement Duty and contribute to the government’s sustainability agenda.
- Work effectively with a wide range of key stakeholders, including customers, colleagues and external markets to build professional commercial relationships and deliver credible procurement strategies and contracts.
- Actively manage suppliers and engage with customers advising them on their contractual agreements and options using contract and market knowledge.
- Be required to manage a number of activities and projects concurrently and therefore need to have effective time and task management skills.
- Support procurement initiatives that help NRS deliver and achieve its organisational Procurement Strategy objectives, representing NRS with suppliers and stakeholders, and monitoring the achievement of commercial targets.
- Work flexibly within the team and across the organisation to help deliver the organisation’s wider goals in line with the Directorate and Corporate Plans. This post may in future have an element of staff management responsibility and will require a high degree of stakeholder management.
Qualifications
CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma, WCC Advanced Practitioner Certification or relevant equivalent.
‘Equivalent’ may include accreditation from another relevant professional body or a relevant academic qualification at degree or post graduate level. Significant evidenced experience operating and delivering at an advanced level may be considered as equivalent when accompanied by a commitment to attaining an accreditation once in post.
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This is a specialist role which requires evidence of a commitment towards continuous professional development, including external, advanced level professional accreditation of CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma, WCC Advanced Practitioner Certification or relevant equivalent*; or a commitment to attaining such an accreditation once in post.
Proof of qualifications will be checked at the assessment stage.
Success profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on.
Technical / Professional Skills
- Commercial Competence and Business Acumen - Level 3: Practitioner
- Legislation - Level 4: Expert
- Contract Law and Terms and Conditions - Level 3: Practitioner
The procurement competency framework sets out the common standard across the public sector in Scotland and details the capability requirements for this post.
Experience
- Proven track record in the delivery of the full end-to-end public procurement cycle, including sourcing strategy development, tendering, and contract and supplier management.
- Established interpersonal, influencing and stakeholder management skills with experience of building and maintaining relationships at all levels and working in collaboration with internal and external colleagues.
Behaviours
- Making Effective Decisions - Level 3
- Communicating and Influencing – Level 3
- Delivering at Pace – Level 3
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK
How To Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above. Both the CV and the supporting statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and a presentation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 2nd November 2026, however this may be subject to change.
Sponsorship
Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.
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Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
About Us
National Records of Scotland (NRS) is Scotland’s record keeper. Our purpose is to collect, preserve and produce information about Scotland's people and history and make it available to inform current and future generations. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.
NRS is a Non-Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government & and our staff are part UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
Working pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week, we offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
Security checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
Pay supplement
The post attracts a procurement pay supplement, currently £3,250 subject to minimum eligibility criteria which includes a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a procurement or commercial role, 1 year at this level and a commitment to Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Pay supplements are discretionary payments designed to address recruitment and retention issues caused by market pressures and are subject to regular review and affordability.
Equality statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
For further information about the role, please contact Charles Kennedy at Charles.Kennedy@nrscotland.gov.uk
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