Senior Category Lead / Senior Buyer

About the role

Due to continued growth and development of our current team we are looking for a number of Senior Category Leads/Senior Buyers to join us on a permanent, hybrid working basis. 

There’s never been a more exciting time to join National Grid’s Global Procurement function.   With a spend of c.£3 billion per annum in the UK, we are a team of 150 talented professionals with a clear mission: to enable a clean, fair, and affordable energy future through commercial, responsible, and innovative supply chain leadership.  

Working as a Senior Category Lead/Senior Buyer you will be responsible for leading high value, high risk Strategic Sourcing Events and Category Strategies that are critical to the business. This will involve engaging and building strong working relationships with stakeholders to identify business needs and then ensuring we understand the supply chains so we can offer the best solutions for National Grid.

We have opportunities that span the department across different categories; Major Infrastructure for Electricity Transmission Construction, High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Offshore Projects, Information Technology,  and Indirects and Directs goods and services, both regionally and globally, which will suit individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience. 

These are some of the key accountabilities we need these roles to deliver:

•    Developing compelling category strategies that deliver the ambition. 
•    Developing detailed commercial understanding and value opportunities.  
•    Ownership and delivery of end-to-end strategic sourcing events within a portfolio.
•    Forming dynamic teams with stakeholders and contract managers to drive best possible solutions. 
•    Building collaborative relationships with the supply chain and identifying new supply markets.
•    Scoping, delivering and executing robust fit for purpose contractual agreements. 

You will need to demonstrate creativity and commercial acumen, to identify opportunities to drive value and deliver the net zero ambition. This will include partnering with the business to secure supply and manage demand, working with the supply chain to drive innovation, exploring new markets and technologies, and driving sustainability and social value.

About you

We invest in our people and harness the potential from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

There will be a different emphasis on the skills required for each role but broadly we are looking for people who have the following attributes: 

•    Comprehensive experience in leading development of category or sourcing strategies and management of tendering events.
•    Can confidently communicate, engage, and build strong working relationships with stakeholders at all levels. 
•    Have effective project management skills.
•    Can collate and organise data, analyse commercial issues and bring insight to the detail of costs and contracts. 
•    Can navigate their own way through a complex organisation and effectively solve problems. 
•    Are proactive with a positive attitude and desire to learn. 
•    Demonstrate role model behaviours by evidencing ‘finding a better way’, ‘doing the right thing’ and ‘making it happen’ values. 
•    Have a passion for enabling an affordable net zero and are motivated to make a difference. 
•    Achievement of a CIPS qualification or working towards is advantageous.

At National Grid we value difference and therefore encourage applicants who demonstrate the above to apply.  
If you can help us deliver new solutions that work for our customers and support the energy transition, then this is the perfect opportunity for you!

What you'll get

•    A competitive salary of between £43,000 and £51,000, dependent on capability and experience. 
•    As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance.
•    A competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
•    25 days’ annual leave
•    Access to additional flexible benefits such as Share Incentive Plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few. 
•    You will also receive induction training on our core Procurement processes and be supported by your Manager with regular ongoing learning and personal development.

About National Grid

National Grid is an energy company driven by a clear purpose: We Bring Energy to Life.  Every day we play a vital role for society by connecting millions of people to the energy they use safely, reliably, and efficiently.

 But more than that - we are also part of delivering a clean energy revolution desperately needed to tackle climate change.  So, every day we strive towards our vision of being at the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future. 

As a critical and influential organisation with energy infrastructure in the UK and US, operating responsibly and ethically is vitally important to us, and how we deliver for customers, stakeholders and communities is guided by our core values of Doing the Right Thing, Finding a Better Way and Making it Happen.  

We are committed to being a diverse, equitable, inclusive organisation that is representative of the communities we serve and where each person can contribute and feel valued, reach their full potential and where inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.  

Best of all, our people say they are proud to work for National Grid and that it is a great place to work.  They know what they do matters for society and they can make a difference.  We have a strong focus on personal development, wellbeing, inclusion and belonging.  And it's not all work… we have fun, care for and look out for each other whilst forming strong friendships and affinities through active social networks & employee resource groups.

Find out more about National Grid, what goods and services we procure and the commitments we have made about how we operate.

Further Information

Location: As part of our hybrid working approach where colleagues work flexibly, these roles offer a mix of office working in Warwick and home working. 

Role: Whilst these are primarily full-time positions, we will consider part time applications as well as offer flexible working arrangements.  Working hours and travel expectations are dependent on role requirements.

We are keen to have great people join our team and will be progressing to interviews quickly for those that meet the requirements of the role. Therefore, we encourage candidates to submit their applications as early as possible and not to wait until the published closing date. We reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process. 

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.

Our goal is to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, the innovation from diverse teams & perspectives and business need. We are committed to building a workforce so we can represent the communities we serve and have a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.