Senior Category Lead / Senior Buyer

The opportunity

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 vital 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: Electricity Transmission Services, High Voltage Direct Current (HDVC) Offshore Projects, Electricity System Operator, Grain LNG Operations and Maintenance, Interconnectors Operations and Maintenance and Indirects and Directs goods and services, both regionally and globally, which will suit individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience. 

In this role you can showcase your creativity and commercial acumen and identify opportunities to drive value and deliver the net zero ambition. You can also build relationships and partner 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

At National Grid we invest in people and value difference and therefore we encourage you to apply if you can demonstrate the following:  
•    Practical experience in supporting development and delivery of category or sourcing strategies and management of tendering events.
•    Can confidently communicate, engage, and build strong working relationships with stakeholders at all levels. 
•    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. 
•    A passion for enabling an affordable net zero and are motivated to make a difference. 
•    A CIPS qualification or working towards is beneficial but we can support professional development. 

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 we can offer you

•    A salary of up to £51,000 dependent on experience. 
•    Annual bonus based on personal and company performance.
•    A generous pension scheme - we double match your contribution up to 12%.
•    25 days’ annual leave (26 after two years’ service) plus the option to buy/sell up to 5 days per year. 
•    Life insurance – 10 x annual salary
•    Flexible benefits (National Grid Share Incentive Plan, Salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, Support via employee assistance lines and matched charity plus many more)

•    Induction training on our core Procurement processes and support with regular ongoing learning and personal development including CIPS membership
•    Financial support to help cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, exam fees and time off for study leave – so long as it’s relevant to your role
•    Generous family friendly policies and family care benefits 
•    Access to numerous apps which support health, fitness and wellbeing
•    Opportunity to be part of our Employee Resource groups 

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. 
 

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.

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.