Buyer (Estates and Facilities)

2gether Support Solutions; Ashford; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme

Onsite childcare facilities

Cycle to Work Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

2gether Support Solutions Limited is seeking a Buyer to join the Procurement Department at William Harvey Hospital. The role is full-time with 3 days on site per week and is a fixed-term contract until March 2029.

As part of a close-knit team, you will process orders, identify savings opportunities, and support Estates, Facilities and Capital spend for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. NHS exposure is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Experience in procurement, purchasing or related roles with stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with NHS procurement processes is beneficial.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results.

Responsibilities

• Process orders and identify savings opportunities for customers.
• Support a spend category (Estates, Facilities, Capital) on behalf of the NHS trust.
• Collaborate with procurement colleagues and other stakeholders to deliver outcomes.
• Maintain good relationships and take ownership to resolve issues.

Skills

Procurement knowledge

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Communication

Tools

Atamis

Unit4 Business World

Job description

2gether Support Solutions is a Facilities and Estates services company providing support to healthcare professionals caring for over 2000 patients daily across multiple East Kent hospital sites. 2gether provides vital services including maintenance, cleaning, catering, procurement, logistics and much more. We have an excellent new opportunity for a Buyer to join our growing Procurement Department at the William Harvey Hospital. Buyers are responsible for processing orders and identifying possible savings opportunities for their customers. They will support a category of spend (Estates, Facilities and Capital) on behalf of 2gether Support Solutions to East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust through the procurement role. This role will have you come in as part of a close-knit team working collaboratively with other colleagues within the Procurement department and other various stakeholders across the business. This is a full time (Monday - Friday) position, with 3 days on site required per week. This is a fixed-term role until March 2029.

What will you bring?

• A people-focused approach: You enjoy communicating with others, building positive working relationships and dealing confidently with questions, issues and challenges.
• Organisation and initiative: You can manage competing priorities, keep track of actions and deadlines, and take responsibility for getting things done.
• Commercial awareness: You understand the importance of value for money, good decision-making and achieving the right outcomes for the organisation.
• Problem-solving skills: You are comfortable investigating issues, finding practical solutions and following things through to completion.
• Communication and influencing skills: You can adapt your approach to different people, have constructive conversations and work collaboratively to achieve results.
• A willingness to learn: You have an interest in procurement and commercial activities and are keen to build your knowledge through practical experience.
• IT skills: You are confident using Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience of procurement or e-procurement systems would be an advantage.

What experience are we looking for?

• We welcome applications from people with experience in procurement, purchasing, materials management, commercial administration, customer service or other roles involving stakeholder and supplier relationships.
• Experience of working in the NHS, healthcare or another complex organisation would be beneficial, as would familiarity with procurement systems such as Atamis or Unit4 Business World.
• However, we recognise that strong organisational, communication and relationship management skills can be developed in a variety of settings.
• Most importantly, we are looking for someone who takes ownership, uses their initiative and is comfortable engaging directly with people to resolve issues and deliver results.

Why work with us?

• Generous annual leave allowance plus the opportunity to buy or sell leave
• Company Pension
• Onsite childcare facilities
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Employee Assistant Programme with Health Assured
• We offer discounts and savings that make a difference to you including:
• Discounted travel, accommodation, airport parking, holidays, skiing and travel extras
• Subsidised bus pass
• Health and beauty, gifts, toys, fashion and entertainment
• Training and development opportunities including BICS and functional skills training

Social values are at the core of 2gether Support Solutions. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce that truly represents our local communities. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, and experiences. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage and support candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and beyond, ensuring equal opportunities for all.