INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Deputy Payments Manager (Purchasing)

Salary:C3 *GBP*31,067 - *GBP*32,654

Hours: 37 hours full time

Contract: Permanent

Location: Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Leeds Hybrid working available

Join the Business Support Centre Central Payments team

Are you an enthusiastic individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment? We are looking for someone just like you to join our Purchasing Hub, focusing on dealing with the ordering of equipment including stationery, office supplies, PPE, workwear and office furniture for the Council and arranging business travel and accommodation.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Deputy Payments Manager, you will bring to the role:

• An ability to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
• Ability to use computer packages, to store, retrieve and analyse data and produce relevant management information for communication with both internal and external customers.
• Ability to prioritise work to ensure that deadlines are met.
• Ability to comprehend and apply work instructions.
• Work with high levels of accuracy with a good attention to detail.
• Ability to manage staff appropriately within the policies and procedures agreed by the Council e.g. managing attendance, appraisal schemes identifying and progressing training and development interventions
• Communicate clearly and effectively, to liaise with other sections, departments and suppliers.

About the role

• The BSC is part of the Shared Services function within Leeds City Council.The BSC provides employment, finance and other administration support activities to a wide range of teams and services across the council and over 240 schools, academies, colleges, universities and other external partners. The BSC also includes the council corporate mail, print and records management facility.
• The Purchasing Hub work is fast paced and processes, over 8500 orders per year for essential equipment and places over 5000 bookings for business travel.
• The team deals with a wide range of ordering enquiries from internal colleagues.
• Liaising with key suppliers regarding purchasing of essential equipment for the Council.
• You will also be part of the Central Payments team supporting the payment of suppliers and maintaining supplier records and required to work across the each of the teams functions to manage workloads.

Key Responsibilities:

• To undertake administrative duties related to all the team functions; including the production and retrieval of management information from contracted suppliers and online sites, analysing information for KPI\ raising and authorising orders, maintaining and updating work processes, resolving queries related to the activities carried out in the service as required.
• Providing advice and guidance as required to team members, senior managers, elected members and service users on purchasing goods and services; including reference to Contract Procedure Rules and Financial Regulations and procedures.
• Participating in external and internal meetings as required and carry out actions as directed.
• To assist in developing and keeping under review appropriate financial planning, management and information systems.
• Work in partnership as appropriate with staff within and outside the Council, which will include dealing with queries from suppliers.
• Prepare and deliver staff training for team members and other colleagues where needed.
• To assist in the recruitment and selection, staff appraisal and Improving Attendance procedures.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• Challenging and varied work with opportunities for personal development.
• Training and support in providing great customer service with a focus on financial matters.
• A great team ethos and a supportive work environment.
• A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role contact Sophie Straitton (0113 3789165) or Alison Lewis (0113 3784483)

Interviews to commence 7th August.

Join us and be a vital part of ensuring the Council has access to essential equipment.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying.To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least *GBP*38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Shared Services consists of over 1,000 employees in the Business Support Centre and Business Administration Service. Both of these services provide administration support activities to a wide range of teams and services across the council.

We help the council to streamline operations by redesigning processes, reviewing models of delivery to enable better sharing of resources and exploiting existing or introducing new technology to modernise the way we work.

Our staff use a range of computer programmes and systems to support services which include those working with teams based across the council in a number of different administration roles.

This role is within Central Payment Services on the Purchasing Hub which is responsible for the ordering of equipment including stationery, office supplies, PPE, workwear and office furniture for the Council. The team is also responsible for the management of the day-to-day administration of the Council purchasing card scheme. The main duties of the role are supervision of the team members, managing your own workload and those of the team; including the delegation of work, monitoring workloads and determining individual and team priorities. Communication with external contractors to ensure that the goods and services are delivered in a timely manner and that purchasing card transactions are recorded correctly on the Council Financial Management System.

Responsibilities

• To undertake administrative duties related to all the team functions; including the production and retrieval of management information from contracted suppliers and online sites, analysing information for KPI\ raising and authorising orders, maintaining and updating work processes, resolving queries related to the activities carried out in the service as required.

• Providing advice and guidance as required to team members, senior managers, elected members and service users on purchasing goods and services; including reference to Contract Procedure Rules and Financial Regulations and procedures.
• Participating in external and internal meetings as required and carry out actions as directed.
• Enrolling new users to the purchasing card scheme and ensuring that all transactions are accurately recorded within the Council Financial Management System.
• Provision of support to management in the delivery of payment to suppliers via the purchasing card, which includes managing change to promote continuous service improvements.
• To assist the management to motivate, develop and coach staff within the team to achieve corporate and departmental priorities as appropriate. This includes participating in and assisting in providing training and development activities as necessary and to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous development.
• To assist in developing and keeping under review appropriate financial planning, management and information systems.
• Work in partnership as appropriate with staff within and outside the Council, which will include dealing with queries from suppliers.
• To assist in the recruitment and selection, staff appraisal and Improving Attendance procedures.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Personal Specification

Method of assessment will be through one or more of the following application form, test, interview, and certificate.

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Skills required

• Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
• Able to use computer packages, to store, retrieve and analyse data and produce relevant management information for communication with both internal and external customers.
• Able to prioritise work to ensure that deadlines are met.
• Able to comprehend and apply work instructions.
• Working with high levels of accuracy with a good attention to detail.
• Able to manage staff appropriately within the policies and procedures agreed by the Council e.g. managing attendance, appraisal schemes identifying and progressing training and development interventions
• To communicate clearly and effectively, to liaise with other sections, departments and suppliers.

Knowledge required

• Good knowledge of the Council Financial Management System in relation to processing orders and payments.
• An understanding of the need for Financial Procedural Rules and their application.

Experience required

• Experience of developing positive working relationships with internal and external suppliers or contractors and resolving complex queries. Prior experience of working within a team to ensure deadlines are met.
• Experience of using IT applications and systems to produce, record and evaluate information.
• Knowledge and experience in the use of IT applications and systems (including experience using Microsoft Office applications) to be able to accurately record and retrieve information.
• Experience and understanding of the importance of providing excellent customer services and experience of dealing positively with challenging situations.

Behavioural and other Characteristics required

• Understand and embraceLeeds City Council Values and Behavioursand codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambitionof Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.

The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements

It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

Skills required

• Able to supervise a team, including planning and monitoring work.

Knowledge required

• An understanding of the Council contract procedure rules (CPRS) in relation to purchasing.

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