Category Buyer

National Grid; Canterbury; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy company in the UK is seeking a Buyer to manage supplier relationships, run procurement bids, and drive category strategy. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree, over 3 years of procurement experience, and knowledge of ERP systems like SAP or ARIBA. This role involves negotiating agreements and enhancing supplier performance. The position includes a hybrid work schedule, with an annual salary range dependent on location. Opportunities for career advancement are available.

Benefits

Career advancement opportunities

Hybrid work schedule

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a procurement role.
• Experience managing a spend range of $3–5M with contract agreements.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Run bids, negotiate agreements, and participate in category strategy development.
• Develop supplier relationships and evaluate supplier risks.
• Conduct industry analysis and evaluate supplier performance.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiations

Vendor management

Interpersonal skills

Business analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain or business management

Master’s degree or CPSM/APICS certifications

Tools

SAP

ARIBA

Power BI

Job description

About us

At National Grid we are committed to delivering safe and reliable energy to the customers and communities we serve. We are one of the largest investor‑owned energy companies in the world. We are proud of the contributions our work and our people make to the prosperity and wellbeing of our customers, communities, and investors.

National Grid has embarked on ambitious capital projects and construction programs designed to build the infrastructure to enable our renewable electric future. Projects include upgrades to transmission lines, substations and distribution network infrastructure that will support renewable energy and reliability initiatives and other programs.

National Grid has a focus on providing electricity and gas to millions of its existing customers, continuously updating its infrastructure to provide the safest and most reliable system.

Job Purpose

The Buyer role works with suppliers, stakeholders, and procurement colleagues to run bids, negotiate agreements, and participate in category strategy development.

He/she assists senior and lead buyers on the team, develops supplier and stakeholder relationships, evaluates supplier risks and mitigation plans, and applies critical thinking to drive the company’s goals.

Through business partnering, the procurement group enhances relationships and bridges the gap by applying Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and risk mitigation efforts while further evaluating the supplier base.

Key Accountabilities

The following competencies are core to the Buyer role:

Category Management

• Collaborate with peers while thinking independently and present actionable solutions.
• Engage with suppliers to seek feedback, discuss improvement opportunities, and resolve issues, while understanding when to elevate these issues to the next tier of management.
• Maintain awareness of supplier performance and alignment with National Grid’s objectives.
• Utilize varied data sets to identify gaps and opportunities, driving benefits through the contract end‑to‑end lifecycle.
• Conduct industry analysis and evaluate supplier performance, incorporating the research into the Category Strategy and associated contract initiatives/bidding events.

Procurement/Strategic Sourcing Process (SSP)

• Execute multiple sourcing initiatives (RFx, Sole Source, direct negotiate) using tailored procurement strategies to optimize value, mitigate risk, and support business objectives.
• Develop and maintain relationships with business units and suppliers, understanding their needs and issues and acting as an interface/bridge between parties.
• Analyze responses to bid requests, highlight commercial differences, and recommend selections of appropriate suppliers.
• Evaluate and apply the concept of TCO and supplier/contract switching costs to support decision‑making.
• Prepare negotiation strategies and conduct complex negotiations successfully under aggressive time demands.
• Understand each counterparty’s position, desired outcomes, and leverage points to maximize benefits while maintaining a good working relationship.
• Work with senior buyers and contract management to evaluate and build appropriate supplier performance KPIs into contractual frameworks.

Supplier Relationship Management

The Buyer will regularly engage with category suppliers to seek feedback, discuss improvement opportunities, and resolve issues, ensuring continuous enhancement of supplier performance and alignment with National Grid’s objectives.

Demonstrates a collaborative approach with the supply base and develops integrated plans to drive appropriate value for business and customer requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) required; in supply chain or business management preferred. Master’s degree, CPSM/APICS certifications are a plus.
• 3+ years of experience in a procurement role.
• $3–5M spend range with contract and framework/multi‑year agreements.
• Basic experience in strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, and vendor management; working knowledge of ERP systems such as SAP and ARIBA, Power BI, etc.
• Strong interpersonal skills, especially in communications across a multi‑national and matrixed organization.
• Proficiency in planning, project management, stakeholder engagement, and business analysis.
• Ability to clearly articulate positions and influence others.
• Equivalent combination of education and procurement process experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education requirements.

More Information

At National Grid we work a hybrid work schedule that generally means that some days you will work in the office and some days you will work remotely. This can vary at your manager’s discretion. Applicants for these positions can be located in any of our service territories (New York and Massachusetts) or any state that borders those states, and you must reside within a reasonable driving distance to your respective office.

Annual Salary

• Brooklyn or Hicksville, NY: $84,000–$99,000
• Waltham, MA: $78,000–$92,000
• Upstate, NY: $70,000–$82,000

National Grid utilizes an assessment that evaluates the job qualifications/characteristics using AI or statistically based scoring. For more information, please view NYC Local Law 144.

This position has a career path that provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise, and acquiring and applying technical skills.

Equal Opportunity

National Grid is an equal opportunity employer that values a broad diversity of talent, knowledge, experience, and expertise. We foster a culture of inclusion that drives employee engagement to deliver superior performance to the communities we serve. National Grid is proud to be an affirmative action employer. We encourage minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans to join the National Grid team.