ERP Procurement Functional Lead

Dorset Council ERP Transformation Programme

Procurement Functional Lead

Hybrid must be able to attend site (Dorchester DT1 1XJ)

Must have Local Government and Oracle Fusion experience.

600 a day

Ongoing assignment (18 months)

Outside IR35

About Connect2Dorset

Connect2Dorset is the managed service recruitment partner to Dorset Council, providing temporary, contract, and interim opportunities across the organisation. Built on values of being ethical, trustworthy, and caring, our profits are reinvested back into our Local Authority shareholders.

Introduction

Dorset Council is undertaking a major transformation programme to replace its legacy SAP system with Oracle Fusion Cloud. This programme represents not only a technology change but a fundamental opportunity to modernise the Council's Commissioning and Procurement operating model.

Historically, procurement processes have evolved around system constraints, local practices, and service-specific workarounds. The transition to Oracle Fusion provides a strategic opportunity to standardise processes, strengthen governance, improve compliance with Public Contracts Regulations, and embed stronger financial and commercial controls across the organisation.

To realise these benefits, Dorset Council requires dedicated senior transformation leadership focused specifically on Procurement and Commissioning. Without this role, there is a material risk that legacy SAP processes are replicated within Oracle, limiting improvement, weakening control, and undermining the Council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) savings assumptions.

The Procurement Transformation Lead will ensure that the ERP implementation drives genuine business transformation, delivering sustainable improvements in compliance, transparency, value for money, and commercial maturity across Dorset Council.

1. Role Purpose

The Procurement Transformation Lead is responsible for leading the end-to-end transformation of Dorset Council's Commissioning and Procurement operating model as part of the ERP Transformation Programme migrating from SAP to Oracle Fusion Cloud. The role ensures sustainable process redesign, governance strengthening, data integrity, and successful adoption across the Council.

2. Key Responsibilities

Operating Model Design

• Define the future-state Procurement and Commissioning operating model aligned to Oracle Fusion.

• Clarify roles across sourcing, category management, commissioning, contract management and P2P.

• Ensure alignment with Public Contracts Regulations and Council financial regulations.

Process Simplification & Standardisation

• Redesign requisitioning, approvals, supplier onboarding and contract lifecycle processes.

• Eliminate SAP legacy workarounds and shadow systems.

• Drive adoption of standard Oracle-enabled processes.

Governance, Compliance & Risk

• Strengthen procurement governance and internal controls.

• Own procurement risk register within ERP programme.

• Provide assurance on procurement readiness for go-live.

Data & Systems Enablement

• Oversee cleansing of supplier, contract and commitment data.

• Approve procurement data migration rules.

• Ensure alignment between procurement design and finance controls.

Change & Adoption Leadership

• Lead stakeholder engagement across services.

• Support training and business readiness activities.

• Embed post-go-live continuous improvement.

Benefits Realisation

• Define measurable procurement transformation benefits.

• Track and report benefits aligned to the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

3. Programme Phase Skill Mapping

Programme Phase

Key Skills Required

Procurement Transformation Focus

Leadership Expectations

Mobilisation & Discovery

Stakeholder engagement, current state assessment, risk identification

Map existing commissioning & procurement processes; identify SAP pain points

Establish credibility; define transformation vision

Design Phase

Operating model design, Oracle procurement knowledge, governance alignment

Define future-state processes; align approvals & controls to Oracle best practice

Act as Procurement Design Authority; challenge legacy complexity

Build & Configuration

Functional validation, data migration oversight, compliance assurance

Validate configuration aligns with operating model; oversee supplier & contract data cleansing

Escalate misalignment risks early

Testing (SIT & UAT)

End-to-end P2P testing, defect prioritisation, reconciliation awareness

Ensure realistic commissioning & procurement test scenarios

Protect compliance & financial control outcomes

Cutover & Go-Live

Readiness assessment, risk sign-off, governance reporting

Validate open commitments, supplier readiness, delegated authority controls

Advise Programme Director on procurement go-live confidence

Hypercare & Optimisation

Performance monitoring, benefits tracking, continuous improvement

Embed compliance improvements; track maverick spend reduction

Drive long-term procurement maturity

4. Person Specification

Essential Experience

• Senior leadership experience in Procurement & Commissioning.

• Experience leading procurement transformation within Local Government or public sector.

• ERP implementation experience (SAP and/or Oracle).

• Strong knowledge of Public Contracts Regulations and governance requirements.

• Experience working at Executive or Cabinet level.

Desirable Experience

• Direct SAP to Oracle Fusion transition experience.

• Experience in Local Authority commissioning environments.

• Knowledge of Oracle Fusion Procurement module.

5. Success Measures

• Improved procurement compliance rates.

• Reduced maverick spend.

• Strengthened audit confidence.

• Successful Oracle-enabled process adoption.

• Achievement of procurement-related MTFP savings.

6. Governance & Authority

The postholder will act as Procurement Lead within the ERP Programme, approve procurement process design, recommend go-live readiness, and escalate risks to the ERP Programme Director, Corporate Director All Age Commissioning and Section 151 Officer as required.

Connect2Dorset is a trading style of Dorset & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Dorset Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Dorset is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.