Main purpose of job:

Based in Mexico City and reporting to the Regional Procurement Manager, the jobholder will work as part of the Regional Procurement Team that sits within the FCDO Commercial Directorate with responsibility for the procurement life cycle across the regional network including Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, etc. ensuring compliance to FCDO global policy and UK procurement regulations. 

To work as part of the Procurement team; interacting with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders on all aspects of Procurement delivery, review, monitoring and reporting. Assist the Regional Procurement Manager in day-to-day delivery.

FCDO Commercial takes responsibility for the acquisition of all goods and services required by the organisation whether bought at home in the UK or at one of our 260 office locations around the world. We do this by directly managing high value procurement activities, creating, and implementing the policies and procedures for everything else.

The FCDO has a regional structure for Finance, Procurement and HR across the whole network, realising cost reductions and global spend savings, whilst keeping quality high by reforming the way we manage procurement across the network.

The Procurement Operating Model requires procurement expertise in the regional organisation structure. Providing expert service to our global network of locations whilst retaining the ability to deliver efficiently on behalf of several locations and maintain links with the central procurement function in the UK. Procurement is a delivery partner to the FCDO business, providing advice and expertise to the business across the procurement lifecycle though to a shared responsibility for the successful delivery of larger procurement projects.

The Regional Procurement Lead will support the Deputy Heads of Procurement (Americas) and the Regional Procurement Manager in Mexico delivering procurement services across the regional network of office locations. In addition to delivering regional procurement projects, you will be responsible for ensuring that procurement processes operate smoothly and consistently within the region and build relationships with the key regional suppliers. You will be forecasting requirements for goods and services across category areas and proactively researching suppliers who help the FCDO to meet its VFM objective. You will work closely with a wide variety of internal customers; helping to identify, specify and meet their requirements.

Roles and responsibilities :

•Regional Procurement Delivery (above £25K):  Acting as an account manager/key contact for a grouping of Posts in region, carrying out end-to-end procurement process. Tender of various procurement/contract-related goods, services or works projects, including sourcing of suppliers, input and agreement of specification, preparation of tender documentation, liaison and coordination with suppliers to clarify requirements, coordination and evaluation of bids, seeking appropriate approvals, negotiations, agreement of contracts and closure of contracts. Ensuring all processes and contracts meet legal, audit, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office requirements.

•Identifying Regional Opportunities: To work closely with colleagues at UK’s Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates in the region and Procurement Category Teams in the UK to deliver Procurement activity via standardised processes, proactively seeking opportunities to buy efficiently through common procurement routes or approaches to market.

•Supplier Relationship Management: To review, report and manage contracts used in the region, to act as the Supplier Relationship Manager where appropriate for regional suppliers including resolution of contractual disputes, taking appropriate action to protect the FCDO’s interest.

•Support Regional Procurement Manager: To work closely with the Regional Procurement Manager, helping them to deliver on assigned goals and the wider regional strategy, help feed into category strategies, delivering objectives.

•Creativity and innovation will be required when developing and implementing service requirements for procurements to ensure value for money is achieved

•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

•Proactively engage with stakeholders across the region to provide commercial advice, direction and assurance on all commercial issues.

•Use Judgement, interpretation and coordination to ensure effective solution resolution of risk and issues at both transactional and strategic level, escalating to the Regional Procurement Manager as required.

• Support the pipeline of projects and contracts using the FCDO eProcurement platform to enable accurate and timely reporting.

The jobholder will be self-starter, proactive, requiring emotional intelligence with a solution orientated mind-set.

·        Commercial Technical Skills – Previous experience in leading on complex commercial situations to deliver great commercial outcomes (collaborating).

·         Management and coordination skills.

·         Working Internationally – Previous experience in working in a procurement capacity which is regional/international and beyond domestic market.

·         Managing Change and Improvements – Evidence of the ability to identify potential improvements and successfully manage changes that deliver beneficial commercial outcomes. 

·         Team work.

·         Communicating and Influencing – Proven experience in influencing internal and external stakeholders.