Category Specialist

78995 - Category Specialist

This Category Specialist will report to the Category Manager and will work within Capital Programme based in our Heathrow office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £55,000 and a bonus of 7.5% This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote

Close Date: 18/06/2024

We also provide the following additional benefits

• 25 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays
• Personal Pension Plan - Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit scheme
• Tax efficient benefits: cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On - scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers products.
• Discounted access to sports and social clubs
• Employee Assistance Programme.

Job Purpose:

A great opportunity to work in a growing, world class procurement function. UK Power Networks has been recognised as a Platinum Procurement Company from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS). Following a large electrical infrastructure project being awarded, UK Power Networks Services are looking for someone to lead our procurement activity creating and owning category strategy, sourcing and supply chain performance. Supply chain value will be over £100m across materials and construction.

We are looking for someone committed to creating value for the business by thinking differently, challenging the status quo and delivering exceptional customer service. We are looking for a motivated person who will take on the task for procuring, awarding and delivering contracts. You will react to incoming works and help the unregulated company (UK Power Networks Services) grow. You will be reactive and client-facing to source goods, works and services in response to our bidding requirements.

You will play an important part in revolutionising procurement delivery within UK Power Networks Services. Our challenge is to provide a flexible, customer-focused procurement service while being reactive to client requirements, undertaking planned procurement and procuring to win new business. You will procure, awarding, mobilise and manage ongoing delivery of project contracts to an agreed strategy using acknowledged practices and mechanisms. We work on major infrastructure and complex projects to provide solutions and meet client's goals. You will help the business provide contract administration/management, complete procurement governance processes and undertake procurement events.

You will deliver a, high quality and prompt service both internally and externally, focusing on providing procurement support for our client's projects. You will be customer-focused and commercially minded. You will provide solutions to support the business in a cost efficient manner within applicable governance and legislation. Your remit will be broad to accommodate our needs on a wider scale but your work may include:

• Manage procurement for the project requirements
• Responsible for categories of spend
• Procure materials or services
• Manage ongoing delivery of contracts
• Manage relations with vendors, suppliers and contractors that facilitate smooth flow of services
• Manage delivery process and implement storage/delivery solutions
• Reactive sourcing activities
• Analyse active and expiring contracts
• Internal responses to procurement requirements
• Category management

Principal Accountabilities:

• Safely work throughout our business and beyond in a manner that embraces our values and aspirations
• Supply chain mapping for projects
• Provide customer interface for the wider procurement team, managing procurement enquiries and requests
• Provide contract and vendor analysis, supporting the procurement team to avoid contract expiry
• Manage supplier delivery requirements, passing through required policies and booking in information with the clients.
• Manage daily delivery of contractors
• Support the business in different procurement requirements, direct sources, 3 bids and tenders promptly based around the business outputs
• Help implement procurement and business initiatives by challenging existing ways of working and find ways to do things better
• Manage a specific project portfolio, including developing the category sourcing strategy, the selection of suppliers and contractual terms best suited to the items
• Maximise the value, measured through a range of indicators, from UK Power Networks contractual arrangements utilising the development of contract strategies, contract development and life cycle management
• Manage own element of Procurement Pipeline and procure contracts on time following UK Power Networks process
• Perform activities that evaluate and use relationships with category suppliers
• Manage compliance to all business, governance and legislative policies and initiatives
• Collaborate with and provide support to other areas of the business and resolve queries. Develop relationships with suppliers and contractors alike
• Responsible for supplier management for category suppliers including their development and segmentation
• Responsible for accurate administration for in-category activities and ensures that all related data is up to date

Qualifications:

• Commercial experience
• Self-organisational capabilities
• Demonstrate understanding of continuous improvement and team working
• Good level of PC literacy and able to use a variety of systems with fast and accurate keyboard skills
• Have a basic understanding of strategic sourcing execution, i.e. cost, price and financial analysis, internal and external market analysis, category strategy, market testing .
• Supplier relationship management
• Project management skills

Desirable

• Educated to degree level with focus on procurement, engineering or business studies.
• Working knowledge of industry standard contracts, i.e. NEC3
• Previous experience of procurement/purchasing
• Previous experience of a utility/construction projects
• Working towards CIPS qualification or equivalent
• Working knowledge of SAP and Achilles an advantage

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

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We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.