Deputy Head of Regional Procurement SEO, Africa Procurement Hub at British High Commission (BHC)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Head of Regional Procurement SEO, Africa Procurement Hub (05/26 ABJ)

Location: Abuja
Working hours per week: 35
Type of Position: Permanent
Grade: Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Type of Post: British High Commission
Job Subcategory: Procurement
Job Category: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)
Start Date: 1 April 2026

Main Purpose

• Based in Pretoria or Abuja and reporting to the Head of Hub, the jobholder will provide procurement/commercial expertise to the Africa Region. The jobholder will have a line management and coordination role across the different locations, with responsibility for the procurement life cycle across the regional network including British Embassies, High Commissions and Offices (posts), ensuring compliance to FCDO global policy and UK procurement regulations (Procurement Act 2023).
• The jobholder will provide guidance and support to stakeholders through management of the Hub’s daily procurement activities and carrying out the most complex procurement requirements. Increasing the commercial influence of procurement and implementing commercial improvements across the region to deliver Value for Money (VfM) and align with transparency initiatives for the FCDO and as required under PA23.
• The jobholder will have experience in the procurement of goods, services and works in multiple category areas (preferably with experience within Facilities Management and Building Works categories) along with team management experience.
• The successful candidate will ensure that the Commercial team is effective, motivated and supported to deliver procurements at a regional level within FCDO policy and successfully deliver great customer service to posts.
• The job holder will need to support the Head of Hub in the development of procurement/commercial capabilities across the team and promote good commercial practice across the stakeholder network. There will be a need to travel from time to time to visit Stakeholders within the region to achieve the objectives of the role.
• The jobholder will work closely with the Head of Hub, to establish the Hub’s service offering and working with the wider team to implement across the region.
• The jobholder will be required to establish a clear pipeline of activity and assist the Head of Procurement Hub to set the strategic direction for the Regional Procurement Hub. Building key relationships with stakeholders at Post the job holder will be influential in work planning and risk mitigation leading to continuous improvement to the delivery of an efficient service.
• The job holder will be responsible for maintaining operational performance, high standards of data and ensure value for money and benefits through competitive tendering, category strategy development and advising on effective contract management.
• Part of this role will include building relationships with the UK and wider Hub network collaborating on workstreams to proactively seek opportunities to drive efficiencies globally. Alignment and input into the UK category strategies ensuring local knowledge is captured and used to influence where required.
• Through strong management skills the job holder will have responsibility for the management of the team, effective work planning and efficient resource allocation will be required to ensure the team provide a quality service across the region. They will provide support and coordination of the team’s activities ensuring trust is built through encouragement and empowerment.
• The job holder will be self-starter, requiring emotional intelligence with a solution orientated mindset and able to escalate/seek support where necessary to ensure the correct delivery of the procurement pipeline.

Roles and Responsibilities
Leadership:

• Manage and resolve conflicts effectively by promoting open communication, addressing issues promptly, and ensuring constructive outcomes that maintain team cohesion and stakeholder confidence.
• Line management and coordination responsibilities of the team, ensuring effective leadership to include work and resource planning enabling the team to provide a high-quality service.
• Provide management, support and advice to other members of the team to develop business requirements and viable solutions and provide oversight and assurance of tender documentation and procurement compliance.
• Providing cover for the Head of Hub during periods of leave/absence.

Delivering a Quality Service:

• Provide support and coordination of the team’s daily activities to ensure all procurement/commercial outputs are compliant.
• Monitor the Procurement Hub’s performance through KPIs and monthly reporting, whilst consistently improving the quality and consistency of data.
• Support the pipeline of projects and contracts using the FCDO eProcurement platform to enable accurate and timely reporting. Escalating pipeline planning requirements to the Head of Hub where delivery/support from the wider commercial team may be required.
• Manage internal governance controls and support the team in progressing through the respective assurance, governance and approvals processes.
• Creativity and innovation will be required when developing and implementing service requirements for complex procurements to ensure value for money is achieved.
• Taking the lead in delivering higher value / complex procurement requirements in the region. Using such opportunities to train the commercial hub team.

Achieving Commercial Outcomes:

• Creativity and innovation will be required when developing and implementing service requirements for complex procurements to ensure value for money is achieved.
• Provide input to category plans where necessary ensuring engagement in business cases and leading on the drafting of commercial cases for all planned in-scope procurements or commercial activity requiring FCDO Commercial engagement within the region.
• Influencing and alignment to category strategies developed from the UK, ensuring the hub’s expertise of local markets is embedded, fit for purpose and included.
• Work with the Head of Hub to develop, maintain and leverage effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Actively work with stakeholders to review the range of commercial opportunities available to them and raise awareness and understanding of Commercial policy and best practice.
• Manage internal governance controls and support the team in progressing through the respective assurance, governance and approvals processes.

Collaborating and Partnering:

• Proactively engage with stakeholders across the region to provide commercial advice, direction and assurance on all commercial issues. Build a common understanding and support of delivery of Commercial business objectives, including supplier optimisation and Government Procurement Card/non-cash implementation.
• Use judgement, interpretation and co-ordination to ensure that the solutions developed and delivered are acceptable to senior stakeholders and, when applicable, partners across government.
• Providing cover for the Head of Hub during periods of leave/absence.
• Ad-hoc duties as required.

Delivering at Pace:

• Closely monitor and steer procurement activity within the Hub, ensuring effective reporting of KPIs. Convey a positive approach in keeping the Hub efforts focused on priority areas and giving credit to individuals and teams as appropriate. Ensure workloads are planned and that priorities are managed.
• Ensure continuity and consistency of approach across the hub from project to project, using required tools, systems and processes to guide commercial activity and produce high quality commercial management information, sharing best practice with the wider hub network.
• Support the pipeline of projects and contracts using the FCDO eProcurement platform to enable accurate and timely reporting.
• Resolve complex issues, including those that are perceived to be novel and contentious.
• Provide management, support and advice to other members of the team to develop business requirements and viable solutions and provide oversight and assurance of tender documentation and procurement compliance. 

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• Direct Line management of 3 x HEO Procurement Managers, with responsibility for 2 X EO (Procurement Leads) 1 X AO (Procurement Administrator)

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience  

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business or related field
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.  Commercial acumen. Data analysis. 
• Commercial Technical Skills - Previous experience in leading on complex commercial situations and leading teams to deliver great commercial outcomes (demonstrable line management experience).
• Management and coordination skills.
• Working Internationally - Previous experience in working in a procurement capacity which is regional/international and beyond domestic market.
• Managing Change and Improvements - Evidence of the ability to identify potential improvements and successfully manage changes that deliver beneficial commercial outcomes.
• Team management.
• Developing Self and Others - Experience in coaching and mentoring to build capability at all levels of a commercial function, including a team and direct reports.
• Communicating and Influencing - Proven experience in influencing internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience:

• Working in a multinational environment across multiple time zones
• Contract Management Experience
• MCIPS or CPSM (or studying towards) or relevant certification or MBA
• Project Management Experience.

Required behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture

Salary

• USD 3,670.94 / Month (Base salary is subject to tax and other statutory deductions)

Other Benefits and Conditions of Employment
Learning and development opportunities:

• Continual professional development through CIPS certification up to MCIPS Foundation Level
• Contract Management Training - Government Commercial College
• Potential for travelling to assigned countries depending on business need.

Application Closing Date
26th February, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Additional Information

• Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance.
• The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements.
• We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.
• The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position
• Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Abuja are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Nigeria.
• All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit
• The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to:
  • Obtain the relevant permit
  • Pay the fees for the permit
  • Make arrangements to relocate
  • Meet the costs to relocation
• Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
• Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
• Please note: Job grade AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
• Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates
• Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application
• Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate