Associate Buyer

Pontoon; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

Pontoon is recruiting an Associate Buyer in Warwick for a 6-month contract. The role focuses on supporting procurement activities across indirect spend, with governance and stakeholder collaboration to drive projects to contract award.

The position is hybrid (Warwick, 2 days per week) and pays £350 per day via Umbrella, Inside IR35. Ideal for early to mid-level procurement professionals seeking exposure in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Previous procurement, purchasing, sourcing or commercial experience.
• Understanding of procurement processes and governance requirements.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience managing documentation and working within structured processes.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Support procurement activity across a diverse portfolio of indirect spend and projects.
• Prepare procurement approval documentation and governance packs.
• Collaborate with project managers and stakeholders to gather requirements.
• Support from initiation to contract award in procurement processes.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and governance frameworks.
• Assist with supplier engagement and commercial evaluations.
• Maintain procurement documentation and audit trails.
• Support contract and supplier management activities as required.
• Produce reports, presentations and procurement-related documentation.

Skills

Procurement experience

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Organisational skills

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Associate Buyer
6-Month Contract 350 per day via Umbrella Inside IR35 Hybrid (Warwick, 2 days per week)

We are supporting a major UK infrastructure and regulated-utilities organisation in the recruitment of an Associate Buyer to join their procurement team on an initial 6-month contract.

This is an excellent opportunity for a procurement professional with early to mid-level experience to gain exposure to a complex, highly regulated environment whilst working alongside experienced procurement and commercial professionals.

What You'll Be Doing

As an Associate Buyer, you'll support the delivery of procurement activity across a diverse portfolio of indirect spend and business projects.

• Supporting procurement and sourcing activities across multiple projects
• Preparing procurement approval documentation and governance packs
• Working closely with project managers and internal stakeholders to gather requirements
• Supporting procurement processes from initiation through to contract award
• Ensuring compliance with internal policies, governance frameworks and procurement procedures
• Assisting with supplier engagement and commercial evaluations
• Maintaining accurate procurement documentation and audit trails
• Supporting contract and supplier management activities where required
• Producing reports, presentations and procurement-related documentation

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Previous procurement, purchasing, sourcing or commercial experience
• Understanding of procurement processes and governance requirements
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Experience managing documentation and working within structured processes
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, PowerPoint and Word
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

Desirable

• Experience within a regulated industry such as utilities, infrastructure, engineering, nuclear, transport or public sector environments
• Experience supporting indirect procurement activity
• Exposure to contract management or supplier management activities
• Knowledge of governance, compliance or audit requirements
• Experience preparing business cases, approval packs or procurement documentation

We use generative AI tools to support our candidate screening process. This helps us ensure a fair, consistent, and efficient experience for all applicants. Rest assured, all final decisions are made by our hiring team, and your application will be reviewed with care and attention.