Senior Category Buyer

About Us
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Category Buyer to join our team on a Full Time, Permanent basis

The Senior Category Buyer is responsible for strategic procurement operations within the aligned business area. The role will partner the Category Manager in delivery of Category strategies, working with the NG business units to share supply chain insight and recommendations, award Contracts from leading strategic sourcing events, leading commercial negotiations, drafting contract through to engaging and managing suppliers.

Senior Category Buyer roles are accountable for high value, business critical goods and services, engaging at senior levels of the organisation to ensure delivery of business priorities.

The work in this capital-intensive area in many cases is also strategically important nationally and this underlines the critical importance that the procurement function has to deliver.

The work includes procuring large, world class systems that are often geographically spread, commonly in challenging areas, with complex risk profiles.

The procurements needed for these multi-billion pound projects include converters, transformers, marine HVDC cable, switch gear and civil works.

There are a variety of roles available within our UK and U.S. business units as well as roles that procure on behalf of the NG group.

As with all strategic projects, the challenges and the professional rewards are considerable and the contribution that you make in the procurement function is pivotal to the success of these projects and the company.

We are also offering hybrid /flexible working where travel to the office will be as per business need. Base location for this role will be National Grid House, Warwick.

Job Purpose
To deliver multiple strategic sourcing events within their portfolio, working with stakeholders to understand and challenge demand, setting sourcing strategy and delivering events from market engagement through to award. To manage contracts to ensure the successful delivery of contracted activities, identifying continuous improvement opportunities through engagement with suppliers and stakeholders, and maximizing value for money from contracts awarded.

Key Accountabilities
This role will engage and build strong working relationships with stakeholders across the business, within procurement, and externally, to develop commercial strategies, source and contract the goods and services required to meet the business needs.

You Will

• Accountable for the development of category strategies, commercial recommendations and execution of sourcing strategy. You will execute standardised strategic sourcing processes from market engagement through to award, ensuring goods / services are procured in a best-in-class manner that drives value.
• Deliver multiple strategic sourcing events within your portfolio, working with stakeholders to understand and challenge demand and ensure the best possible commercial solutions for National Grid.
• Support the overall development and delivery of assigned category strategy and share best practice across other category teams.
• Profile category characteristics and research supply markets, suppliers and assess trends, opportunities and risks feeding insights into the Global teams and Market and Supplier Development teams.
• Delivering value by effectively managing tender events for key products required by the business.
• Work with Contract Managers and / or Procurement Programme Managers to ensure the successful delivery of contracted activities, identifying continuous improvement category opportunities through engagement with suppliers and stakeholders, and maximizing value for money from contracts awarded.
• Role model excellence in procurement standards, taking a proactive role in mentoring / providing guidance to Buyers and Associate Buyers to ensure best-in-class methodologies are adopted and utilized across National Grid Procurement.
• Contribute to an effective forward planning process by identifying future requirements of supported areas and ensure robust forecasting is put in place that maximises value of goods / services procured.

About You

• Experience or working across categories including the following: converters, transformers, marine HVDC cable, switch gear and civil works, or large scale infrastructure construction.
• Ideally you will be CIPS qualified or similar
• Significant experience of strategic sourcing and category management, ideally delivered within a public sector procurement context
• A track record in delivering procurement services and leadership over the full procurement life cycle, from developing optimal packaging strategies to the eventual contract awards.
• An understanding of project management principles, with evidence of carrying out high-value procurements within a complex project environment.
• Experience of successfully managing supply chains
• Ability to deliver 'value' in its broadest sense
• Ability to identify and successful manage delivery and commercial risk
• Ability to prepare for and to lead negotiations.
• Ability to build and manage complex commercial assessment models.
• Experience of contract development, including the ability to make recommendations and amendments to existing contracts as well as drafting new ones.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Awareness and experience in project governance principles
• Demonstrable collaboration skills with internal team members and the wider supply chain as a means for delivering effective performance and positive outcomes.

What You'll Get

A competitive salary between £46,000 - £57,000 per annum – dependent on capability

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

More Information
This role is offered on a Full-Time, Permanent basis

We are also offering hybrid /flexible working where travel to the office will be as per business need. Base location for this role will be National Grid House, Warwick