Governance, Compliance, and Systems Officer

Job Introduction

Role Purpose

The Governance, Compliance, and Systems Officer will support the procurement and contract management functions within the council, ensuring compliance with statutory regulations, governance frameworks, and council policies. The post holder will work closely with the Senior Governance, Compliance, and Systems Officer to implement and maintain systems and processes that facilitate effective procurement and contract oversight, contributing to transparency, accountability, and value for money

Main Responsibilities

Governance:

• Assist in maintaining and developing the council’s procurement and contract management governance framework, ensuring compliance with relevant laws, such as the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
• Support the procurement and contract management service in implementing best practices and ensuring decisions align with the council's strategic goals.
• Prepare and present reports on governance and procurement activities for internal and external stakeholders, including senior management and committees.
• Maintain accurate records of procurement activities, contract decisions, and supplier performance, ensuring that these are in line with governance standards.

Compliance:

• Monitor compliance with procurement laws, internal financial regulations, and council-specific policies, ensuring that all procurement activities meet the highest ethical standards.
• Assist with audits and investigations, identifying potential non-compliance issues and helping to resolve them in collaboration with relevant departments.
• Ensure all contracts and procurement processes adhere to legal requirements, particularly around data protection (GDPR), anti-bribery, and modern slavery legislation.
• Provide guidance and advice to internal teams on procurement compliance issues, supporting ongoing training and awareness initiatives.

Systems Management:

• Support the administration and maintenance of procurement and contract management systems, ensuring they are used effectively and efficiently across the council.
• Collaborate with IT and the Senior Governance, Compliance, and Systems Officer to update and optimise procurement systems, ensuring they meet user needs and are compliant with internal and external requirements.
• Provide support and training to staff using procurement and contract management systems, troubleshooting issues and ensuring data integrity.
• Oversee the accurate input and maintenance of data in the procurement systems, ensuring compliance with data protection and information governance standards.
  
  

The Ideal Candidate

Essential:

• Knowledge of procurement and contract management processes, ideally within the public sector.
• Familiarity with UK procurement regulations, including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and other relevant legislation.
• Strong understanding of governance and compliance principles within a local authority context.
• Proficient in the use of procurement and contract management systems, with experience in data management and system optimisation.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong organisational skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, both written and verbal
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.

Desirable:

• Experience in public sector procurement or contract management roles.
• Relevant professional qualifications (e.g., CIPS, procurement, governance, or compliance certifications).
• Experience in delivering training or system support for procurement tools.
• Familiarity with public sector governance frameworks and audit processes.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package to colleagues. Find out more on our website.

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We have been in a process of collective bargaining since 2019 and have positively worked forward to reach an agreed position with the unions for the new contractual offer. This has taken longer than we hoped and therefore we are having to consider all alternative avenues available to enable us to remove inequality in the organisation as a result of bringing together 3 councils. 

We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation, and all colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. We want to reassure everyone that whichever route is taken to reach the new terms and conditions, we can honour continuous service and there will not be any job reduction as a result of the implementation of Pay and Reward.  If you have any questions at all about this process, please feel free to raise this with the hiring manager.