Procurement Specialist

Marine Directorate is responsible for managing Scotland’s marine and freshwater environments, dealing with issues such as sea fisheries, marine litter, offshore renewable and aquaculture.  It has more than 700 staff across 19 offices, laboratories and marine vessels covering a range of skills and professions including scientists, mariners, compliance officers, policy, administrative and technical experts.

The directorate, given its role is very focused on delivery. A key component to this, is ensuring that that there is a continuity in service and that contracts are in place to enable the smooth running of operations. 

As a Procurement Specialist, you will play a crucial role in delivering this and ensuring compliance with the public procurement regulations, identifying opportunities for savings and benefits and to contribute to the wider government agenda including improving business for SMEs, equality awareness and delivering the sustainability agenda.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, planning and implementation of procurement strategies for low/medium value and low/medium risk procurement optimising value for money for customers.   
• 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 addresses 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 deliver credible procurement strategies and contracts.
• Actively manage suppliers and engage with customers advising them on their contractual agreements and options using product and market knowledge.
• You will be required to manage a number of activities and projects concurrently and therefore need to have effective time and task management skills.
• Work flexibly within the team and across the Directorate to help deliver the organisation’s wider goals.

Qualifications

This is a specialist role which requires evidence of continuous professional development, including external, advanced level professional accreditation or working towards accreditation of CIPS Level 4 Diploma, WCC Practitioner Certification or relevant equivalent; or a commitment to attaining such an accreditation once in post.

Other Professional/Technical

The post attracts a procurement pay supplement, currently £2250 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.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Technical: Procurement (Procurement Competency Framework)

• Commercial Competence – Level 2 (Working Knowledge)

Experience

• To have a working experience in the delivery of the full end-to-end public procurement cycle, including sourcing strategy development, tendering through to contract award.

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions – Level 3
• Delivering at Pace – Level 3
• Working Together – Level 3

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot
 

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. 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.

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.

If invited for interview it will consist of interview questions and a presentation. 

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 26/01/2026 however this may be subject to change.

About Us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the 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, and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. 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. 

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.

Apply before 23:59 on 11th January 2026. This post is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship Organisations only.