Procurement Manager

The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport. Our purpose is to improve vehicle safety and environmental protection through the delivery of robust testing, certification, and approval services to internationally recognised standards. With more than 40 years of experience, VCA has established itself as one of the largest and most respected vehicle approval authorities in the world.

We are seeking a motivated Procurement Manager to join our Commercial team at Senior Executive Officer (SEO) level. The Commercial team forms part of VCA's Corporate Services function and works closely with Finance and other business areas. The team provides expert procurement and contract management advice across the organisation, ensuring compliance with procurement legislation and government commercial policies. It leads on procurement activities and supports the effective management of contracts throughout their lifecycle.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for experienced procurement and contract management professionals, as well as individuals with strong analytical and transferable skills who are looking to develop their commercial expertise within central government. As a Procurement Manager, you will play a key role in delivering procurement and contract management activities across a diverse range of categories. Working across the commercial lifecycle, you will help secure critical goods and services, ensuring value for money, compliance with regulations, effective risk management, and positive commercial outcomes for VCA.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the Kings birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at VCA

As a Procurement Manager within the VCA Commercial team, you will impart expert pre-procurement advice, undertake procurements, support contract management, contribute to commercial governance, and work closely with internal stakeholders and the Department for Transport (DfT) Commercial team to ensure value for money and strong commercial outcomes.

Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Lead end to end procurement activity across a variety of categories including professional services, technology, operational services, and corporate requirements.
• Develop clear, robust tender documentation including specifications, evaluation criteria and contract terms.
• Manage market engagement, tendering, evaluation, moderation and contract award.
• Apply up to date knowledge of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Procurement Act 2023 and Cabinet Office commercial policy.
• Ensure appropriate use of government wide frameworks (e.g., GCA) and support sound route to market decisions.
• Maintain accurate procurement documentation and ensure complete audit trails.
• Provide timely and professional procurement advice to stakeholders across the agency.
• Support early engagement to shape requirements and challenge specifications to ensure competitive, compliant and value driven outcomes.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills set out in the Civil Service Line Management Standards. There is the possibility of line management being part of the role in future.

Flexible resourcing

Colleagues are expected to work with a degree of flexibility, meaning responsibilities may change to support priority delivery.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile which is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Qualifications:

• CIPS/MCIPS (or working towards) or equivalent commercial qualification or experience.

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Demonstrable experience of delivering end‑to‑end procurement in the public sector.
• Experience developing tender packs and supporting evaluation processes
• Ability to apply commercial thinking to deliver value for money, manage risk, and support effective decision-making, including experience of balancing cost, quality and delivery considerations.
• Working knowledge of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023 (or completion of training modules ahead of its implementation).
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple competing priorities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in e‑procurement systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Additional Information

You will be required to undertake the Foundation e-learning module of the Contract Management Capability programme once in role, unless this accreditation is already held.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full-time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part-time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we are currently unable to offer Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying.