Specialist, Contracts and Purchasing

BDO International Limited; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A global consultancy firm is seeking a Specialist, Contracts and Purchasing to manage end-to-end procurement processes and vendor engagements. The suitable candidate will have over 5 years of IT procurement experience and a strong ability to negotiate contracts while balancing compliance with commercial risk. This is a full-time role located in London, UK.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in IT procurement/contracting.
• Ability to interpret complex requirements and negotiate outcomes.
• Familiarity with Global IT procurement frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Own procurement pipeline from intake through award.
• Lead negotiation and internal approval of Statements of Work.
• Run supplier due diligence and onboarding as per Global requirements.

Skills

IT procurement

Contract negotiation

Vendor governance

Strong communication

Organizational skills

Education

Degree in Business, Law, Information Systems

Job description

A great place to work

Building a thriving global team is an essential pillar of our bold new vision Global solutions. Driven to be the best. so it’s no surprise that our offices around the world are regularly recognised with awards and accolades. We’re a people-powered business, with a diverse, dynamic and inclusive international team who are committed to excellence, innovation, and integrity.

Professional growth

Our collaborative, international environment fosters professional growth and development, to ensure that all our people thrive. We’re committed to transferring and sharing resources, knowledge, skills, and experience across our organisation, and our Global Mobility Programme provides the gateway to a whole world of opportunities.

Make a difference

We believe businesses have both an economic imperative and an ethical responsibility to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world. In 2021, we committed to achieving net‑zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. As part of our global sustainability efforts, we continue to integrate responsible practices into our operations and work with clients to support their own net‑zero journeys. In addition, we’re proud to support thousands of colleagues around the globe to ‘give back’ in the communities in which we operate.

Position: Specialist, Contracts and Purchasing

We are seeking a Specialist, Contracts & Purchasing to provide dedicated, end‑to‑end procurement management for Global A&A and its Programmes, ensuring timely, compliant, and value‑for‑money vendor engagements that enable delivery while controlling commercial, legal, privacy, and security risk. The role executes within the Global Vendors & Contracts frameworks and toolset (ServiceNow, standard templates, approval matrices) and adheres to Global procurement policies and processes.

Key accountabilities

• Own the A&A Programmes procurement pipeline from intake through award, ensuring each engagement has a recorded justification aligned with policy.
• Plan and execute appropriate market processes (market scan, RFI/RFP,…), balancing speed‑to‑value with competitive tension and risk.
• Coordinate scoping and commercial models with the programme team and the programme Finance Coordinator to meet delivery timelines and budget targets.

Contracting & SOW management

• Lead negotiation and internal approval of Statements of Work, MSAs/PSAs, renewals, amendments, and change orders specific to Programmes deliverables.
• Ensure deliverables, acceptance, KPIs, SLAs, pricing constructs, IP/usage rights, and termination/transition protections meet programme needs and policy.

Governance, approvals & audit trail

• Apply the Contract Approval Process, maintaining a complete evidence trail (business case, evaluation records, due diligence, approvals).
• Manage renewal timelines and decision gates under the Contract Renewal Process.
• Prepare concise executive summaries and recommendations for decision forums.

Risk, privacy, security & ESG diligence

• Run supplier due diligence and onboarding in line with Global requirements (information security, privacy and data protection, service continuity, financial health).
• Ensure ESG statements and supply‑chain integrity questionnaires are captured where required, and that SaaS engagements follow the SaaS Solution Management Guidelines.
• Partner with the Finance on budget control, commitment tracking, forecasting, accruals, and savings realisation; surface risks and opportunities early.
• Act as the procurement point of contact for leadership and workstreams; align priorities with A&A Projects & Operations.
• Coordinate with the Programme Lead on vendor communications and deliverable visibility where firm involvement is required.
• Engage Global Legal, Privacy, Information Security, and the Global Vendors & Contracts Team specialists at the right moments in the lifecycle.

Reporting & metrics

• Provide weekly pipeline/status updates: cycle times, milestones, savings, renewals due, risks, and compliance indicators.
• Maintain a central artefact set (SOWs, approvals, risk assessments) accessible to programme leadership and audits.
• Contribute to the A&A Programmes procurement playbooks, templates, and checklists; share lessons learned with the Global Vendors & Contracts to improve network‑wide practice.

Qualifications and Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in IT procurement/contracting, including SOW drafting/negotiation and vendor governance in complex programmes.
• Degree in Business, Law, Information Systems, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Ability to interpret complex requirements, structure commercial models, and negotiate outcomes that balance value, speed, and risk.
• Experience working across multiple third‑party vendors and internal partners (Legal, Privacy, Information Security, Finance).
• Strong written and verbal communication and influencing skills; able to brief senior stakeholders succinctly.
• Highly organised, self‑directed; able to manage multiple deadlines and maintain a complete approval and due‑diligence record.
• Familiarity with Global IT procurement frameworks and SaaS governance models.
• Knowledge of programme methods (e.g., PRINCE2/MSP)

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Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Purchasing

Industries

Accounting and Business Consulting and Services

London, England, United Kingdom (2 weeks ago)