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 value for money, operational efficiency, compliance, and effective supplier management.

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• Implement and enhance purchasing policy and strategy.
  
• Coordinate purchasing practices to maximise savings and benefits from purchasing activities.
  
• Identify cost saving opportunities across academic and service departments.
  
• Select appropriate suppliers and contractors and promote good procurement practice.
  
• Lead the 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 align with departmental and institutional budgets, working closely with the College\'s Management Accountant on reporting.
  
• Monitor purchasing expenditure against approved budgets.
  
• Contribute to cost management and financial sustainability initiatives.
  

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• 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.
  

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• Experience in use of Sage 200 Professional
  
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Finance or Professional qualification in procurement
  

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• 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.
  

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 Ireland\'s largest independent third-level institution, with a community of over 8,000 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.

To be recognised among the leading, innovative and socially enterprising of Ireland\'s universities

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• Competitive salary package
  
• Access to the College\'s 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 College\'s 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 light of the changing environment within the Faculty and the College.

Griffith College is an equal opportunities employer. xcfaprz Candidates must be eligible to work full-time for any employer in Ireland.