Assistant Buyer

Assistant Buyer - Lancashire Procurement Cluster (LPC)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an ambitious, motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our procurement team. You will be an excellent communicator for the department to ensure we provide an effective and efficient operational procurement service across all areas of the LPC.

The Assistant Buyer will work within the Procurement tower to support the delivery of the procurement strategy and achieve the 'quadruple aim' targets. This includes delivering against the following objectives:
Savings and efficiency targets

Improving compliance with procurement regulations

customer service

Reducing harm initiatives

Work on specific/allocated projects against agreed timescales and outcomes for LPC customers. This will include sourcing of goods, equipment, materials and services that meet requirements by demonstrating value for money and promoting an integrated approach to procurement.

Carry out the procurement of agreed goods and services in line with the Standing Financial Instructions obtaining best value and delivery within the specifications provided.

Provide professional support to users in respect of the procurement process, including EU regulations and required process to be followed under the guidance of line manager.

Be part of a busy customer services helpdesk team that undertake various duties including processing of purchase requisitions and placement of purchase orders, invoice/price queries, product sourcing and catalogue management for the Trusts. You will also be required to assist colleagues/stakeholders to understand both Trust and Public procurement rules where understanding may be limited and be able to relate, communicate and interact with colleagues at all levels across the organisation using both written and oral skills.

The Lancashire Procurement Cluster (LPC) provides strategic procurement, commercial and supply chain services to the Trust partners - Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The organisation is a shared service model, hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. The LPC has four distinct service lines:
Procurement

Strategic Relationship Management

Systems & e-Commerce

Logistics and Supply Chain

The post is within the Customer Services Helpdesk Team which is part of the Procurement Service.

Main responsibilities within attached job description & person specification and include:
Evaluate and deliver the best value procurement process for acquisitions for the LPC Stakeholders by use of different sourcing options for a range of goods and services.

Build up product knowledge from the supplier base and introduce alternative products to internal and external stakeholders as opportunities to save money.

Responsible for assisting with quotation exercises and cost analysis for the purchase of goods and services for both internal and external stakeholders.

Liaise with the NHS Supply Chain and suppliers to ensure that best pricing has been secured.

Provide reports and other data to members of the procurement team to assist in the identification of items to be considered for standardisation of products or to identify lower cost alternatives. To assist with and where appropriate lead the subsequent implementation of such agreed changes.

Produce management reports from the procurement purchasing systems. Schedule and analyse the data to provide internal stakeholders with statistics for developing and monitoring spend and stock-holding levels and future product switching and saving opportunities.

Liaise with the procurement team internally and externally to ensure that only standardised products are ordered.

Process requisitions for internal and external stakeholders onto the selected Procurement purchasing systems,

Deal with reported discrepancies, shortages, returns for internal and external stakeholders in a proactive but diplomatic manner

Operate within the LPC Policies and Procedures and display a high standard of professional conduct with stakeholders and suppliers. Report any problems or difficulties that cannot be resolved immediately.

Assist and support the other members of the Procurement team in ensuring customer satisfaction with the service.

Provide cover for other members of the Procurement team (such as annual leave/sickness) as and when required.

On occasions, this role may involve cross site working or travel to other NHS or external organisations for training or work purposes.

Any other duties within the general scope of the post and appropriate to the grading. Change of duties will be discussed with the post holder before implementation.

The contents of this post will be reviewed with the post holder in the light of future development of the Assistant Buyer role.

Support budget holders in managing their budgets for allocated projects (across the whole life cycle) and the provisio