Senior Procurement Consultant

Job Posting End Date: January 02

**Who are we?**

We are Unum - one of the UK’s leading employee benefits providers.

We’ve been around for 50 years, currently protecting over 1.7 million people, providing security and peace of mind to individuals and their families.

With a Fortune 500, US parent company, we’re part of highly successful global organisation, sharing ideas and innovations across teams to create a collaborative work environment. We’re transforming our business, and we’re keen to increase our digital capabilities to evolve the way we work and optimise opportunities for growth.

**The role**

**What will you be doing?**

Demonstrate procurement best practices, effectively negotiate commercial terms, facilitate supplier due diligence controls, utilise supplier relationship management systems, ensure smart risk is adhered to as part of our core beliefs in addition to operationally beneficial and cost-effective acquisition of indirect goods and services; support contract/supplier management. Acting always as a source of support, guidance and delivery for all procurement activity assigned.

**What will you bring?**
- ** Key Accountabilities**:

- Provide procurement guidance & best practices to the business in the acquisition of indirect goods and services.
- Collaborate with supporting functional areas in Legal, Third Party Risk Management, and Information Security in conducting supplier due diligence.
- Deliver best total value propositions to the business in support of savings goals, at acceptable managed risk.
- Active engagement will all levels across the business including senior management.
- Liaise as necessary with US teams to align, collaborate and contribute to initiatives and wider business goals.
- Work to promote procurement involvement and early engagement in support of the category manager.
- Attend appropriate procurement/industry events representing Unum.
- Engage in supplier site visits for potential and existing suppliers to assess supplier capabilities and suitability.
- Be a strategic thinker in procurement direction and risk management in support of the business.
- Demonstrate professional purchasing capability including proficiency at identifying and managing best value suppliers for Unum.
- Act as centre of excellence for internal users to provide support for major supplier/service tenders and projects
- Support procurement activities as directed by the Category manager
- Support the delivery of Unum UK savings.
- Have a customer-focussed support approach to dealings with the business areas.
- Provide specialist buying expertise including product identification and search; supporting data and cost analysis and assessment of customer requirements.
- Key supplier relationship and performance management.
- Be proactive, responsive, flexible, ethical and commercially astute in procurement business dealings on behalf of Unum.
- Identify cost improvements and supplier consolidation whilst ensuring compliance with wider business objectives and policies.
- Contribute to strategic procurement activity through provision of support for major supplier/service tenders and projects
- Communicate complex information in a clear professional manner, effective to the level of recipient in the business.
- Provide user support & training for workday procurement tool.
- Contract drafting in liaison with Legal department.
- Project Management during bidding, post bid as necessary and on special initiatives.

**Required Knowledge & Skills**:

- Generalist procurement experience (Previous IT category management would be advantageous), with Member Charter Institute Purchasing & Supply (MCIPS) qualification, or in the process of obtaining same, desirable.
- Understanding of contract and purchasing law.
- Extensive experience in drafting commercial frameworks
- A team player willing to support and advise aiding to the team’s overall success.
- Able to understand budgetary procedure and process and impact on business.
- Highly engaging and personable with all levels of the business
- Advanced understanding of Microsoft Office products with the ability to manage large amounts of data and extract vital conclusions to support onward strategy providing insight and suggestion.
- Commitment to continuous development in procurement learning to cover e-commerce developments; best practice; supplier management tools and techniques amongst others.

**Why join us?**

Our culture

We aim to be the most inclusive, diverse and socially responsible company in the employee benefits market. With an agile and flexible way of working, we want to be a place where people aspire to work and where everyone can be themselves.

**What will you get in return?**

We are passionate about our employee health and wellbeing and providing work-life balance that suits you.

Our benefits include a discretionary bonus, 24/7 health support services (including a remote GP), income protection, health cash plan, 27 days annua