Michaella Harvey
Procurement Officer in Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS) @ Business Services Organisation

Michaella is a Procurement Officer in Procurement and Logistics Service, her job role is to ensure goods are purchased in line with value for money principles and also that they are being delivered in a timely manner.
Can you tell us about your job and what you do from day to day?
As a Procurement Officer in PaLS Armagh, I am responsible for procuring goods and services for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
My day-to-day role is to ensure goods are purchased in line with value for money principles and also that they are being delivered in a timely manner.
The team receives non-catalogue requisitions daily, which are then allocated to Procurement Officers and Assistant Procurement Officers for processing. We check contracts and frameworks, contact suppliers for best pricing and then raise purchase orders in line with public procurement rules and regulations.
My role also has an important customer service element and this involves helping and providing advice and information to SHSCT staff – procurement can appear difficult if you are looking at it from the outside but we are never more than a phone call away for help and support.
How long have you been in your current role?
I have been in my current post since July 2021, having first started in Business Services Organisation (BSO) in July 2019. My first role was as an Assistant Procurement Officer.
What experience/ education is required to perform this role?
For the Procurement Officer role, you are required to have the following qualifications and experience:
GCSE Maths and English (A*-C) or equivalent or higher qualification
2 x A Levels or equivalent qualification or higher qualification
18 months relevant business/commercial/financial experience
Or
GCSE Maths and English (A*-C) or equivalent or higher qualification
Primary Degree and 6 months relevant business/ commercial/financial experience
Or
GCSE Maths and English (A*-C) or equivalent or higher qualification
A minimum of 3 years relevant experience, 2 of which must be in a relevant business/commercial/ financial environment
What is the biggest challenge in your role?
My biggest challenge within this role is dealing with suppliers and making sure that deliveries are on time. Supply chains are being stretched globally so because the products we procure can be urgent medical supplies, it is crucial that they are delivered in a timely manner. Everyone in the team is aware that our role helps colleagues in HSC to deliver patient care.
What advice would you give to others looking for a job in your field?
The job is extremely interesting and it is genuinely true that no two days are ever the same – one day, you could be assisting someone with procuring leaflets and advising them of the contracted suppliers, the next day you could be liaising with suppliers about resolving invoice queries and the day after that, you could be buying toys for the Children & Young People’s Centre.
You get to see a process from start to finish. The job is also very fast paced and there is always something to be done or help to be given. Time management is important in this job, as are good communication skills.
I have to say I really do love my job and there is a great deal of achievement and job satisfaction.
What do you like best about your role and working in HSC?
I love helping people and that is a major part of the role, whether it be Trust staff, suppliers or colleagues. There is also a great deal of variety within this position.
What I especially like about working within PaLS and HSC is the amount of support and encouragement provided by my managers and colleagues. Management are always there for help and guidance. As well as colleagues from other sites.
There are pathways for progression and training is widely available. Development of staff is very important for PaLS and there are always ample opportunities for personal and professional training. Working within HSC is very rewarding.