Posted 17 July, 2026
Grade VII National Procurement Manager
Tusla - Child and Family Agency
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Full Time
Reference: 2108791011
Job Summary
The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January 2014 and is responsible for a range of statutory functions including provision of child protection, alternative care, specified regulatory services and a range of family support services. The Agency has commenced a major improvement programme with significant focus on Practice, Culture and Structure.
The Agency currently has responsibility for a budget of circa €1.2billion and delivers its services through over 5,500 people in 259 locations across the Country.
The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:
• Child Protection and Welfare
• Parenting, Family Support and Early Help Services
• Alternative Care
• Birth Information & Tracing and Adoption
• Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
• Children's Service Regulation
• Counselling and Therapeutic Supports
Further information is available on www.tusla.ie
Job Objectives
Main Duties and Responsibilities
• Key responsibilities include leading competitive tendering activity, oversee high-value contracts, supervise vendor management and act as the primary point of contact for internal and external procurement related audits requirements
• Work closely with stakeholders for procurement assignments, strategies, reporting and process standardisation ensuring regional and local alignment of legislation, policies and procedures with the national office
• Work with stakeholders on competitive contract management with best practice and legislative compliance, support and provide expert advice on disputes, remedies, modifications, variations and contract exit
• Build and retain key stakeholder management, both internally and externally, championing an inclusive and supportive work environment where colleagues can succeed in meeting requirements of a changing environment, ensuring that activities are being managed in line with the Agency's principles, values and expectations
• Manage and drive best practices and develop category sourcing approaches to modernise and consolidate aggregated purchasing requirements to enable increased standardisation and efficiency to enhance service delivery, decision-making effectiveness and drive better value for money
• Governance and compliance procurement reporting on a cohesive basis, align and manage the annual procurement strategy, goals and objectives as outlined in the Corporate Procurement Plan
• Coordinate PAC, FOI and PQs procurement related responses
• Promote continuous Training & Education programmes including eTenders, e-Procurement Training and innovation
• Lead and manage the end-to-end competitive procurement process and provide specialist advice and technical knowledge in completing and managing all aspects of putting contracts in place with budget holders/project managers. This includes but not limited to the following:
-Prepare coordinated tender documents ie: Request for Tendering (RFT), competition management, advise on tender specifications, award criteria and manage processes through eTenders
-Assist with Request for Quote (RFQ) processes
-Audit retention of procurement documentation
-Analyse vendor expenditure information and issue relevant reports
-Develop, negotiate and drive contractual agreements in a high-quality sensitive manner with the objective of managing risk and optimising performance to achieve value for money
-Drive and deliver the contract finalisation of a procurement process ensuring that the budget holder arrives at the Purchase to Pay (P2P) stage.
• Establish and maintain quality processes and reporting capabilities. Develop and write reports on vendor and contract performance
• Apply a deep understanding of Public Procurement processes and relevant regulations
• Ensure measures are in place to identify expiring contracts for renewal / replacement in a timely manner
• Assist budget holders/project managers to execute, manage and monitor deliverables outlined in the contract to ensure efficiency and maximise contract performance
• Carry out contract performance with budget holders/project managers
• Develop and maintain positive and effective relationships across all sections of the Agency
• Observe strict rules of confidentiality on all information gained as part of a tender process.
Governance
• Contribute to the communication and implementation of the Agency's procurement and other operating policies, procedures, guidelines, standards and best practices and all other applicable regulations
• Provide effective, clear and regular communication on procurement updates across the Agency focusing on day-to-day queries
• Ensure that all statutory and corporate governance requirements are met i.e.: EU Procurement Directives, GDPR Regulations and internal financial regulations
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct relevant procurement training programmes
• Identify risk of non-compliance and opportunities for spend aggregation
• Manage challenging expenditure portfolios
• Assume ownership of personal and professional readiness to perform and remain resilient to the high demands and tight deadlines of this fast-paced environment.
Health & Safety
• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service for example National Standards for Child Protection and Care and comply with associated Tusla - Child and Family Agency protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Skills Requirement
Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:
• A third level qualification in Procurement, or a related discipline (such as Legal or Finance) with a distinct focus on procurement
• A minimum of two years' management experience specifically within a procurement environment, including a proven track record of team leadership and staff supervision
• Demonstrate operational experience in financial systems i.e. SAP Finance or equivalent
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office skills with specific demonstrable expertise in Excel and Word
• Strong analytical, organisational and project management skills with the ability to manage multi complex tendering timelines and pipeline projects
• Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to manage complex, multi-layered stakeholder relationships and drive organisational change.
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January 2014 and is responsible for a range of statutory functions including provision of child protection, alternative care, specified regulatory services and a range of family support services. The Agency has commenced a major improvement programme with significant focus on Practice, Culture and Structure.
The Agency currently has responsibility for a budget of circa €1.2billion and delivers its services through over 5,500 people in 259 locations across the Country.
The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:
• Child Protection and Welfare
• Parenting, Family Support and Early Help Services
• Alternative Care
• Birth Information & Tracing and Adoption
• Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
• Children's Service Regulation
• Counselling and Therapeutic Supports
Further information is available on www.tusla.ie
Job Objectives
Main Duties and Responsibilities
• Key responsibilities include leading competitive tendering activity, oversee high-value contracts, supervise vendor management and act as the primary point of contact for internal and external procurement related audits requirements
• Work closely with stakeholders for procurement assignments, strategies, reporting and process standardisation ensuring regional and local alignment of legislation, policies and procedures with the national office
• Work with stakeholders on competitive contract management with best practice and legislative compliance, support and provide expert advice on disputes, remedies, modifications, variations and contract exit
• Build and retain key stakeholder management, both internally and externally, championing an inclusive and supportive work environment where colleagues can succeed in meeting requirements of a changing environment, ensuring that activities are being managed in line with the Agency's principles, values and expectations
• Manage and drive best practices and develop category sourcing approaches to modernise and consolidate aggregated purchasing requirements to enable increased standardisation and efficiency to enhance service delivery, decision-making effectiveness and drive better value for money
• Governance and compliance procurement reporting on a cohesive basis, align and manage the annual procurement strategy, goals and objectives as outlined in the Corporate Procurement Plan
• Coordinate PAC, FOI and PQs procurement related responses
• Promote continuous Training & Education programmes including eTenders, e-Procurement Training and innovation
• Lead and manage the end-to-end competitive procurement process and provide specialist advice and technical knowledge in completing and managing all aspects of putting contracts in place with budget holders/project managers. This includes but not limited to the following:
-Prepare coordinated tender documents ie: Request for Tendering (RFT), competition management, advise on tender specifications, award criteria and manage processes through eTenders
-Assist with Request for Quote (RFQ) processes
-Audit retention of procurement documentation
-Analyse vendor expenditure information and issue relevant reports
-Develop, negotiate and drive contractual agreements in a high-quality sensitive manner with the objective of managing risk and optimising performance to achieve value for money
-Drive and deliver the contract finalisation of a procurement process ensuring that the budget holder arrives at the Purchase to Pay (P2P) stage.
• Establish and maintain quality processes and reporting capabilities. Develop and write reports on vendor and contract performance
• Apply a deep understanding of Public Procurement processes and relevant regulations
• Ensure measures are in place to identify expiring contracts for renewal / replacement in a timely manner
• Assist budget holders/project managers to execute, manage and monitor deliverables outlined in the contract to ensure efficiency and maximise contract performance
• Carry out contract performance with budget holders/project managers
• Develop and maintain positive and effective relationships across all sections of the Agency
• Observe strict rules of confidentiality on all information gained as part of a tender process.
Governance
• Contribute to the communication and implementation of the Agency's procurement and other operating policies, procedures, guidelines, standards and best practices and all other applicable regulations
• Provide effective, clear and regular communication on procurement updates across the Agency focusing on day-to-day queries
• Ensure that all statutory and corporate governance requirements are met i.e.: EU Procurement Directives, GDPR Regulations and internal financial regulations
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct relevant procurement training programmes
• Identify risk of non-compliance and opportunities for spend aggregation
• Manage challenging expenditure portfolios
• Assume ownership of personal and professional readiness to perform and remain resilient to the high demands and tight deadlines of this fast-paced environment.
Health & Safety
• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service for example National Standards for Child Protection and Care and comply with associated Tusla - Child and Family Agency protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Skills Requirement
Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:
• A third level qualification in Procurement, or a related discipline (such as Legal or Finance) with a distinct focus on procurement
• A minimum of two years' management experience specifically within a procurement environment, including a proven track record of team leadership and staff supervision
• Demonstrate operational experience in financial systems i.e. SAP Finance or equivalent
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office skills with specific demonstrable expertise in Excel and Word
• Strong analytical, organisational and project management skills with the ability to manage multi complex tendering timelines and pipeline projects
• Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to manage complex, multi-layered stakeholder relationships and drive organisational change.
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
