We caught up with Head of Procurement Operations, Andy Wright, to hear about exciting work happening in his team. Image Andy Wright, Head of Procurement Operations You've been doing some exciting work leading Procurement Operations in Team Finance; can you tell us a bit more about this piece of work? I’m leading the activity to design the new University procurement service which is being implemented as part of Phase 3 of People and Money. This gives us fantastic opportunity to improve how we purchase our goods, services and capital works. Over the past couple of years, a number of exploration workshops have been attended by staff throughout the University and this has provided valuable insight to current process and system issues (e.g. poor data, inconsistent processes, delays in resolving invoice queries which can lead to suppliers placing the University account on hold), this input has helped shape the future service design. We have also been listening to our customers and looking for opportunities to include best practise examples from external organisations. In order to ensure a holistic approach, I’m working closely with other finance colleagues such as Lorna McLoughlin and Kerry Scott to ensure we jointly develop clear and robust ‘purchase to pay’ end-to-end processes. What benefits are you hoping to see from these changes? I really do believe that these positive changes will add value to way the University purchases its goods, services and capital works. We will have more straightforward and consistent approach across the organisation; improved reporting and a ‘single version of the truth’ from a data perspective; suppliers will find it easier to deal with the University as a customer. The new Procurement structure provides a real centre of procurement expertise; a team who will provide professional procurement support right across the entire University. These changes will help us improve customer satisfaction whilst also ensuring we achieve better value from our supplier relationships. What recent successes have you and your team been celebrating? Have there been any challenges? It is a mixture of successes and challenges everyday – which is only to be expected on such a large and complex programme as People and Money. For me successes range from achieving our team milestones; solving problems; devising smart solutions, simplifying existing processes, reducing current ambiguities, thinking about how to make the ‘user experience’ better in the future. At a personal level, I think one of the great successes is how colleagues are coming together and achieving results as a team. I’m also delighted we’re building a great procurement team – including existing procurement team members, along with other staff who will transition from other existing University roles within the University to join our team. We are also recruiting a number of external experienced procurement professionals from other public and private sector organisations. Challenges are inevitable and are part of the normal change process. One frustration is the current quality and consistency of data is not great (although of course this will improve with the introduction of People and Money). Because I am impatient, I also feel that the University sometimes take longer than I would like to make clear and decisive decisions. What do you get up to outside of work? I’m pretty busy! My wife and I live in the Scottish Borders and I like to get involved in community activities. I am a director of two Community Development Trusts in Scottish Borders, which aim to improve the economic opportunities and wellbeing of their local communities. I’m involved in running the Innerleithen Music Festival as well as leading the music and technology requirements for several churches in the Borders. My wife runs the ‘Fiona Henderson School of Dance’, which is one of the largest schools in the UK with around 500 pupils across multiple locations and I run the business and marketing side of the school as well as operating the technical production aspects for all the school shows and performances including the sound and lighting. The school has won several national and international awards so we must be doing something right! I enjoy music and gardening and we have a 65 kg pyrenean mountain dog and a 12-week old collie puppy so life is never quiet. This article was published on 2024-07-01
