I have known many people in public sector procurement across Scotland over many years (too many years some might say). As a result, it does mean that I have a degree of insight into what makes procurement people tick and what motivates them to move jobs.
For a start, although we’re all motivated by money, financial rewards alone are not always sufficient to make someone up sticks and head for pastures new. Sometimes, quite often actually, it is the challenge of the job that attracts and the money is a secondary (but still important) consideration. I know that’s a cliché, but it is nonetheless true. Similarly, the location and lifestyle can often be a big selling point. And, of course, the colleagues you’re going to be working with are very important. Do they have a good reputation? Are they good people to work with? What’s the boss like? Do they really develop people’s careers or is that just a throwaway line in a recruitment advert?
APUC Ltd (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges) is a case in point. They do have a reputation for excellence. Their systems and procedures are first-class, and recognised as such. Talking to a friend who has worked with them both as an adviser and on the other side of the fence as a supplier, he said, “it’s a good place for good people. APUC is by far the best procurement organisation I have dealt with on the supplier side, and when I worked with them I was really impressed by their attention to detail, friendliness and understated but evident professionalism”.
To that I can add that I know from my dealings with APUC that they also offer an exceptional, indeed generous, family-friendly work-life balance and they do like to develop people and promote from within, as evidenced by the number of people who have been with them since they began, over 8 years ago. They are good people. And they also have good jobs…
APUC is recruiting across Scotland for a variety of Operational and Advanced Procurement Manager jobs. . All of these are working directly with the new Colleges of Further Education and some also involve, to a greater or lesser extent, additional work under the APUC umbrella.
Two of these Procurement Managers’ jobs are based in the Highlands; one in the west (Oban-Fort William) the other in the east (Tain-Elgin). You can choose where to work from and of course there will be a lot of travel. There is another role based at Glasgow at City of Glasgow College and there is an Operational role that could be based in APUC's offices in either Edinburgh, Glasgow or Stirling.
The first of the two Advanced posts is in Special Projects and requires working across the central belt and a local base is therefore essential. The other advanced post is specifically for Forth Valley College.
I know what you’re thinking. This is not much to be going on. But there is lots more to tell. These are really good jobs, with a really good organisation. They need really good people.
If that’s you, then give us a call, on 0141 231 1260.