Purchasing Manager

Job Title: Purchasing Manager

Reporting to: Director of Finance

Location: Griffith College Dublin

Job Type: Full-Time / Permanent subject to 6 months probationary period

Purpose of Role:

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for overseeing the procurement function within the College (for all three campuses and entities) ensuring that goods and services are acquired ensuring value for money operational efficiency compliance and effective supplier management.

Job Responsibilities:

Implement and enhance purchasing policy and strategy.
To co-ordinate purchasing practices and to maximise savings and benefits available from purchasing activities.
Identify cost saving opportunities across academic and service departments.
To select appropriate suppliers and contractors and to promote good procurement practice.
To take an active lead in the continuous development and administration of an efficient purchase order system and identify opportunities for process improvement and cost efficiencies in purchasing activities.
Oversee all purchasing activities including receiving purchase order requisitions from college departments pricing raising and placing the purchase order and following up on delivery and related returns.
Work closely with academic and administrative departments to forecast purchasing needs and ensure timely supply of goods and services.
Monitor purchasing budgets and track expenditure to ensure alignment with departmental and institutional budgets and working closely with the Colleges Management Accountant on reporting same.
Monitor purchasing expenditure against approved budgets.
Contribute to cost management and financial sustainability initiatives.

Key Competencies:

Strategic Procurement: Ability to develop procurement strategies that deliver value for money.
Negotiation and Influencing: Strong negotiation skills and the ability to manage supplier relationships effectively.
Financial and Commercial Awareness: Understanding of budgeting cost control and procurement.
Communication and Collaboration: Ability to work with diverse internal stakeholders across academic and administrative departments with excellent written and verbal skills
Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse purchasing data and identify cost-saving opportunities.
Strong computing skills; to include Microsoft Excel and Sage 200 Professional.

Educational Qualifications

Experience in use of Sage 200 Professional
Bachelors degree in Business Procurement Supply Chain Management Finance or Professional qualification in procurement

Experience

Minimum 5 years experience in procurement or purchasing preferably in education
Demonstrated experience in supplier negotiation contract management and procurement.
Experience managing budgets and procurement reporting.

About Griffith College

Griffith College is a welcoming ambitious and people-focused institution where the quality of the working environment is shaped as much by the people as by the purpose. Across our campuses in Dublin Cork and Limerick colleagues work in supportive teams where professionalism mutual respect and collaboration are part of everyday life.

Founded in 1974 Griffith College is Irelands largest independent third-level institution with a community of over 8000 students across its campuses. The College delivers a broad range of undergraduate postgraduate and professional programmes across disciplines including business law computing journalism design and pharmaceutical science.

What sets Griffith apart is not only its commitment to high-quality education but the culture that underpins it. Staff regularly speak about the strength of the relationships they build here the trust between colleagues the willingness to support one another and the opportunity to contribute to an organisation that has meaningful impact on students from Ireland and internationally working alongside people who genuinely care about what they do and who they work with.

Our Vision
To be recognised among the leading innovative and socially enterprising of Irelands universities

Why work for Griffith College

Competitive salary package
Access to the Colleges pension scheme
Access to healthcare plans for employees and their families
Enhanced maternity leave pay
Flexible working arrangements including the ability to work from home in line with the Colleges remote working policy
Access to ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes up to Doctorate level
Subsidised College programmes to support career development and upskilling.
Opportunities for staff mobility through Erasmus and other international mobility programmes
Mental Health and Wellbeing supports available
Free weekly yoga classes
Access to onsite fitness equipment
Availability of green space on campus accessible to staff for sports and recreational activities
Cycle to Work scheme
Vibrant multidisciplinary and multicultural learning environment
Inclusive and diverse community
Innovative and agile place to work
Welcoming environment committed to both learner and staff development
Staff discounts and offers from a wide range of retailers and service providers
Preferential accommodation rates during the summer period for staff and for friends and family of staff at Griffith Rooms
Year-round staff social and wellbeing events including BBQs coffee mornings wellness talks EDI events and more
Onsite subsidised restaurant
Free parking facilities
Staff Social Club with regular events

This job description is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline of proposed areas of activity and will be amended in the light of the changing environment within the Faculty and the College.
Griffith College is an equal opportunities employer. Candidates must be eligible to work full-time for any employer in Ireland.

Required Experience:

Manager