Based in Pretoria or Abuja and reporting to the Head of Hub, the jobholder will provide procurement/commercial expertise to the Africa Region. The jobholder will have a line management and coordination role across the different locations, with responsibility for the procurement life cycle across the regional network including British Embassies, High Commissions and Offices (posts), ensuring compliance to FCDO global policy and UK procurement regulations (Procurement Act 2023).

The jobholder will provide guidance and support to stakeholders through management of the Hub’s daily procurement activities and carrying out the most complex procurement requirements. Increasing the commercial influence of procurement and implementing commercial improvements across the region to deliver Value for Money (VfM) and align with transparency initiatives for the FCDO and as required under PA23.

The jobholder will have experience in the procurement of goods, services and works in multiple category areas (preferably with experience within Facilities Management and Building Works categories) along with team management experience. The successful candidate will ensure that the Commercial team is effective, motivated and supported to deliver procurements at a regional level within FCDO policy and successfully deliver great customer service to posts. The job holder will need to support the Head of Hub in the development of procurement/commercial capabilities across the team and promote good commercial practice across the stakeholder network. There will be a need to travel from time to time to visit Stakeholders within the region to achieve the objectives of the role.

The jobholder will work closely with the Head of Hub, to establish the Hub’s service offering and working with the wider team to implement across the region. The jobholder will be required to establish a clear pipeline of activity and assist the Head of Procurement Hub to set the strategic direction for the Regional Procurement Hub. Building key relationships with stakeholders at Post the job holder will be influential in work planning and risk mitigation leading to continuous improvement to the delivery of an efficient service. The job holder will be responsible for maintaining operational performance, high standards of data and ensure value for money and benefits through competitive tendering, category strategy development and advising on effective contract management.

Part of this role will include building relationships with the UK and wider Hub network collaborating on workstreams to proactively seek opportunities to drive efficiencies globally. Alignment and input into the UK category strategies ensuring local knowledge is captured and used to influence where required.

Through strong management skills the job holder will have responsibility for the management of the team, effective work planning and efficient resource allocation will be required to ensure the team provide a quality service across the region. They will provide support and coordination of the team’s activities ensuring trust is built through encouragement and empowerment.

The job holder will be self-starter, requiring emotional intelligence with a solution orientated mindset and able to escalate/seek support where necessary to ensure the correct delivery of the procurement pipeline.

Leadership

• Manage and resolve conflicts effectively by promoting open communication, addressing issues promptly, and ensuring constructive outcomes that maintain team cohesion and stakeholder confidence.
• Line management and coordination responsibilities of the team, ensuring effective leadership to include work and resource planning enabling the team to provide a high-quality service.
• Provide management, support and advice to other members of the team to develop business requirements and viable solutions and provide oversight and assurance of tender documentation and procurement compliance.
• Providing cover for the Head of Hub during periods of leave/absence.

Delivering a Quality Service

• Provide support and coordination of the team’s daily activities to ensure all procurement/commercial outputs are compliant.
• Monitor the Procurement Hub’s performance through KPIs and monthly reporting, whilst consistently improving the quality and consistency of data.
• Support the pipeline of projects and contracts using the FCDO eProcurement platform to enable accurate and timely reporting. Escalating pipeline planning requirements to the Head of Hub where delivery/support from the wider commercial team may be required.
• Manage internal governance controls and support the team in progressing through the respective assurance, governance and approvals processes.
• Creativity and innovation will be required when developing and implementing service requirements for complex procurements to ensure value for money is achieved.
• Taking the lead in delivering higher value / complex procurement requirements in the region. Using such opportunities to train the commercial hub team.

Achieving Commercial Outcomes

• Creativity and innovation will be required when developing and implementing service requirements for complex procurements to ensure value for money is achieved.
• Provide input to category plans where necessary ensuring engagement in business cases and leading on the drafting of commercial cases for all planned in-scope procurements or commercial activity requiring FCDO Commercial engagement within the region.
• Influencing and alignment to category strategies developed from the UK, ensuring the hub’s expertise of local markets is embedded, fit for purpose and included.
• Work with the Head of Hub to develop, maintain and leverage effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Actively work with stakeholders to review the range of commercial opportunities available to them and raise awareness and understanding of Commercial policy and best practice.
• Manage internal governance controls and support the team in progressing through the respective assurance, governance and approvals processes.

Collaborating and Partnering

• Proactively engage with stakeholders across the region to provide commercial advice, direction and assurance on all commercial issues. Build a common understanding and support of delivery of Commercial business objectives, including supplier optimisation and Government Procurement Card/non-cash implementation.
• Use judgement, interpretation and co-ordination to ensure that the solutions developed and delivered are acceptable to senior stakeholders and, when applicable, partners across government.
• Providing cover for the Head of Hub during periods of leave/absence.
• Ad-hoc duties as required.

Delivering at Pace

• Closely monitor and steer procurement activity within the Hub, ensuring effective reporting of KPIs. Convey a positive approach in keeping the Hub efforts focused on priority areas and giving credit to individuals and teams as appropriate. Ensure workloads are planned and that priorities are managed.
• Ensure continuity and consistency of approach across the hub from project to project, using required tools, systems and processes to guide commercial activity and produce high quality commercial management information, sharing best practice with the wider hub network.
• Support the pipeline of projects and contracts using the FCDO eProcurement platform to enable accurate and timely reporting.
• Resolve complex issues, including those that are perceived to be novel and contentious.
• Provide management, support and advice to other members of the team to develop business requirements and viable solutions and provide oversight and assurance of tender documentation and procurement compliance. 

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):