An excellent opportunity is available for a Strategic Procurement Specialist to join the Services and Infrastructure department at Australia's pre-eminent biomedical research institute.

About the Position
The Strategic Procurement Specialist leads the delivery of high-value and strategically significant procurement activities, ensuring that procurement outcomes support the Institute's research, operational and infrastructure objectives.

Using contemporary procurement and commercial practices, the role develops and implements sourcing strategies, market engagement approaches and procurement plans that deliver value, manage risk and support informed decision-making across the Institute. The role provides specialist expertise in the procurement of scientific equipment, research infrastructure, technology platforms, facilities-related services and other complex goods and services.

The role leads complex procurement activities, including major tenders, market engagement processes, procurement evaluations and commercial negotiations, ensuring that procurement activities are delivered professionally and in accordance with Institute policies, governance requirements and best-practice standards. In addition, the Strategic Procurement Specialist develops and manages commercial agreements and contract management arrangements to maximise value, support effective supplier performance and mitigate commercial risk. The role works closely with the Procurement and Asset Management team and other Services and Infrastructure and broader internal stakeholder groups to ensure procurement and contracting solutions meet stated business requirements and support successful project delivery.

The role manages relationships with key suppliers and strategic partners, promoting collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement while ensuring supplier performance, risk and compliance requirements are effectively managed.

Selection Criteria
Essential Knowledge and Skills:

- Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or professional procurement certification.
- Demonstrated significant experience in strategic procurement, sourcing and market engagement.
- Experience managing high-value and complex procurement activities, including capital projects, scientific equipment or infrastructure procurements.
- Strong commercial acumen and contract negotiation skills.
- Experience in contract management, supplier relationship management and supplier performance monitoring.
- Sound knowledge of procurement governance, compliance and risk management principles.
- Well-developed analytical skills,



including the ability to provide insights and recommendations to support decision-making.
- Experience within research, healthcare, university or scientific environments would be highly regarded.

Personal Qualities:

- Ability to work autonomously and exercise sound judgement when managing complex procurement, commercial and supplier-related matters.
- Well-developed analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to interpret information, assess risk and develop practical solutions.
- Ability to build effective working relationships and work collaboratively with researchers, professional staff, suppliers and external stakeholders.
- Strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to engage and work effectively with people at all levels of the organisation.
- Demonstrated commercial acumen and the ability to balance stakeholder requirements, organisational objectives and governance obligations.
- Demonstrated integrity, professionalism and accountability in the management of procurement, commercial and contractual activities.

​​​​​​​Terms of Appointment
This position is an ongoing role in a full time capacity. Salary is Professional Services Employee Level 7 ($108,119 - $117,039). Very attractive salary packaging options are available for general living expenses, meal entertainment, novated leasing and more. 12% superannuation payable, plus up to a further 5% after the first 6 months of service via our matching superannuation scheme.

General enquiries and be directed to ••••@wehi.edu.au.
A position description is available here.

How to Apply
Please apply by uploading your CV, cover letter and a document addressing the key selection criteria in pdf format.

Application Closing Date: Sunday 29 November 2026.

WEHI - Brighter together

WEHI is where the world's brightest minds collaborate and innovate to make discoveries that will help us to live healthier for longer. Our medical researchers have been serving the community for more than 100 years. We bring together people with different skills and experience who are committed to long-term discovery.



Our teams of researchers are committed to solving the most complex health problems, making transformative discoveries for cancer, infectious and immune diseases, developmental disorders and healthy ageing.

WEHI is a place where people are able to shine. People who are inquisitive, who are committed, who are passionate. People who want to make a difference. And we are committed to ensuring they have the tools to flourish, personally and professionally. We are a community of researchers, students and professional service staff who work towards achieving discoveries that improve human health. We are driven by collaboration, curiosity and creativity. We are committed to making a positive difference to the lives of people in Australia and around the world. We are WEHI. We are brighter together.

WEHI's commitment to diversity and inclusion

At WEHI we strive to foster a versatile working environment that encourages individual differences and promotes collaboration and creativity. We recognise that talent does not sit within a single identifiable group in our society and that WEHI's ability to shape contemporary scientific thinking and deliver leading professional services relies on a diversity of thought within our organisation. Our action to promote gender equality has been recognised with an Athena SWAN Bronze Award from Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) and we offer a range of support for women researchers.

Our commitment to celebrating diversity and addressing inequities is further demonstrated through our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Gender Action Plan, Reconciliation Action Plan and our WE-Pride network for LGBTQIA+ staff and students. We actively encourage applications from, people with a disability, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse people and people with diverse genders and sexualities. Should you require support during the recruitment process due to special needs or consideration, please contact the People and Culture team.

WEHI's commitment to Indigenous employment

WEHI is working to create a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will be engaged at the scientific frontier, making exciting discoveries and decisions about the future of health in this country, and part of a leading professional services workforce supporting the realisation of these discoveries. We are committed to creating a culturally safe workplace and offering career development and leadership opportunities to First Nations staff and students. We strongly encourage any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to apply.

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