Senior Category Buyer
About us
At National Grid, we're at the heart of one of the greatest challenges of our generation: delivering a clean, fair and affordable energy future. Every day, we connect millions of people to the energy they need, while investing in the infrastructure that will support a net zero future.
We're looking for a Senior Category Buyer to join our Procurement team. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to play a key role in delivering strategic sourcing activities, influencing business decisions, and driving value across our organisation.
Reporting to a Category Manager, you'll take responsibility for strategic procurement activities across your assigned portfolio, supporting the development and execution of category strategies that deliver value, innovation and sustainable outcomes. This role can be based in our Warwick or Caste Donnington office on a hybrid basis.
You'll work closely with stakeholders across the business, procurement colleagues, and external suppliers to understand requirements, challenge demand where appropriate, and identify the best sourcing solutions to meet National Grid's evolving needs.
As a trusted procurement partner, you'll bring commercial expertise, market insight, and strong stakeholder management skills to help deliver procurement excellence across multiple sourcing initiatives.
What you'll do
- Deliver multiple strategic sourcing events within portfolio, working with stakeholders to understand and challenge demand and ensure the best possible solutions for National Grid.
- Input into the development and execution of sourcing strategy for allocated category and 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.
- Work with Contract Managers or Procurement Programme Managers 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.
- Support the overall development and delivery of assigned category strategy and share best practice across other category teams.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Scope and develops regional contractual agreements that meet the customer stakeholder requirements and expectations.
What you'll need
- Significant experience in strategic sourcing and category management.
-
MCIPS qualified or actively working towards completion of a CIPS qualification.
- Strong commercial and analytical skills, including experience developing commercial assessment models.
- Experience of leading supplier negotiations and delivering successful sourcing outcomes.
- Knowledge of contract development and contract management principles.
- The ability to manage multiple priorities and projects effectively.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills.
- A proactive, solutions-focused approach with the confidence to challenge and influence at all levels.
What you'll get
A competitive salary between £47,000 - £61,000 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 closes on Wednesday 26th August at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.
At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.
National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.