Graduate Buyer, Procurement, Warwick

National Grid; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days' annual leave

Cycle-to-work scheme

Sharesave plan

£2,000 joining bonus

£2,400 completion bonus

Accommodation allowance up to £200/mo

Job summary

National Grid is offering an 18-month Graduate Buyer Scheme based in Warwick, combining three six-month placements across Global Procurement with a broadening experience in other areas of the business.

You will support strategic sourcing, research markets, oversee end-to-end procurement, and lead tender activities while developing stakeholder relationships and commercial acumen for a permanent role within Global Procurement.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2:2 degree in any discipline.
• Willingness to travel across rotations.
• Strong commercial mindset with ability to influence outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to sourcing events and shape procurement strategies.
• Research supply markets and share insights to support category development and decision-making.
• Manage sourcing processes from supplier engagement through to contract award.
• Collaborate with contract managers and suppliers to ensure successful delivery and continuous improvement.
• Lead tender activities for key business needs, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality outcomes.
• Forecast requirements and align procurement activity to business priorities.

Skills

Sourcing strategy

Market research

Tender leadership

Procurement lifecycle

Stakeholder collaboration

Forecasting demand

Communication skills

Problem solving

Analytical mindset

Education

2:2 degree

Job description

The National Grid Graduate Buyer Scheme is an 18-month structured development programme designed to build commercial and procurement capability through three six-month placements. Two placements are based within Global Procurement, while a third ‘broadening’ placement offers experience in another area of the business, supporting wider development and a deeper understanding of National Grid’s operations. Upon successful completion of the scheme, graduates transition into permanent roles within Global Procurement.

During each procurement placement, Graduate Buyers work closely with experienced procurement professionals to support the delivery of strategic sourcing activities. You’ll be involved in multiple sourcing events, helping to shape sourcing strategies, challenge demand, and manage the end-to-end procurement process—from market engagement through to contract award.

This is a hands-on role that offers exposure to real commercial challenges, enabling you to develop core procurement skills, build stakeholder relationships, and contribute to the delivery of value across the business.

What You'll Do

As a Graduate Buyer, you’ll play a key role in supporting strategic procurement activity across the business. You’ll:

• Contribute to sourcing events and help shape procurement strategies that deliver value for National Grid.
• Research supply markets and share insights to support category development and decision-making.
• Manage sourcing processes from supplier engagement through to contract award.
• Collaborate with contract managers and suppliers to ensure successful delivery and continuous improvement.
• Lead tender activities for key business needs, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality outcomes.
• Support future planning by forecasting requirements and aligning procurement activity to business priorities.

We’re looking for curious, driven individuals who are ready to make an impact. You’ll thrive in this role if you:

• Communicate clearly and confidently, building strong relationships and working collaboratively to achieve shared goals.
• Enjoy solving problems and thinking creatively to develop smart, evidence-based solutions that deliver long-term value.
• Are self‑aware, resilient, and open to feedback—always acting with integrity and taking ownership of your development.
• Have a commercial mindset and can weigh up options, make informed recommendations, and influence outcomes.
• Stay organised and focused, managing your time effectively across multiple projects and using planning tools to stay on track.

Don’t meet all our requirements? Don’t worry, we are looking for people who are enthusiastic and excited about being part of National Grids journey to net zero.

What You'll Need to Apply

You'll need to achieve a minimum 2:2 in any degree discipline. It doesn’t matter when you graduated or if you are currently working towards your qualification. We just need you to be eager to apply your knowledge in a real-world setting.

You’ll need flexibility to travel within role and throughout your rotations as required.

Location

This role is based at National Grid House, Warwick and may offer flexible hybrid working. You'll be expected to attend your contractual office location at least three days per week so you'll need to live within a commutable distance of this office.

What You’ll Get In Return

We are proud to offer a starting salary of £38,472 with annual salary increases throughout the programme.

As a first step in your career within the energy industry, our Graduate Programme offers a unique opportunity to develop your skills, gain valuable experience, and build a long-term career with National Grid.

Alongside a tailored development programme designed to power your career at National Grid, you'll also enjoy a range of fantastic rewards and benefits, including:

• 26 days' annual leave, plus statutory holidays.
• Access to flexible benefits, including cycle-to-work and holiday buy/sell schemes.
• The opportunity to participate in our Sharesave and Share Incentive Plans.
• You’ll develop well-rounded skills through practical experience.
• A £2,000 joining bonus upon starting the programme.
• A £2,400 payment upon successful completion of the programme.
• An accommodation allowance of up to £200 per month as you move around the business during placements.
• Additional annual leave when moving between placements, plus support with relocating your personal belongings.
• Dedicated mentoring, regular feedback, networking opportunities, and volunteering opportunities to support your development.
• A permanent role with National Grid upon successful completion of the programme.

About the Graduate Programme

As you'll be joining our 18-month graduate programme, you'll have a tailored development pathway to support you as you develop a wide range of leadership, business, and technical skills. You'll attend in-person and virtual development sessions throughout your programme to equip you with the essential skills required, as you begin your career at National Grid. We're committed to the personal development of our colleagues so as well as the support from your line manager as you navigate your new role, you'll also have access to 1:1 coaching and a mentor, from a previous cohort to help you transition from campus to corporate life.

All graduates complete the core development programme to develop key skills such as how to make an impact, giving feedback and presentation skills. Aligned to this role is our Commercial pathway, where you’ll further develop commerciality skills and gain important insight of engineering and electricity to increase your understanding of our business and industry. Dependent upon your role you may complete a formal qualification such as (Chartered Institute of Professional Development) CIPD.

We believe in the importance of getting as much on-the-job experience as possible and to do this, you will complete three 6-month placements, across the UK, designed to deepen your understanding of your speciality but to also broaden your knowledge of our business. At the end of your 18-month programme you’ll return to your initial placement area to kickstart your career.

About National Grid

National Grid is the UK’s critical energy infrastructure company, operating the electricity network and infrastructure that connects millions of people to the energy they use every day, supporting homes, businesses and communities across England and Wales.

We know the future of energy won't be shaped by what we know today. It will be shaped by what's possible tomorrow. That's why we're investing in the next generation of talent, giving apprentices, undergraduates and graduates the opportunity to learn from experts, gain hands‑on experience and contribute to work that matters from day one.

Are you ready to unlock the power of the possible?

National Grid's Early Careers opportunities in the UK are open to all applicants who meet the eligibility criteria including an existing and valid right to work in the UK. As part of the application process this will need to be evidenced and verified before you can start the programme.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

National Grid operates in both the UK and US, with a broad portfolio of energy businesses dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and sustainable power.

From electricity and gas transmission to advancing clean energy and modernising grids, our work covers every aspect of the energy system.

Our energy flows through absolutely everything we do

Life here at National Grid is more than just our purpose or our values, it’s everything we put into everything we do. It’s our commitment to diversity and inclusion; how we help our employees learn and grow; and how we partner with and support the communities where we live and work. It’s all this, and so much more.

We leverage our collective strengths to do meaningful BIG work so that we can be at the heart of a fair and affordable energy future.

Your salary is reviewed each year against the market for your role, skills, knowledge and experience.

Incentive

Annual performance plan or bonus (depending on your role) rewards your contribution to our success each year.

Retirement

Generous pension plan with company contributions up to 12%.

Private medical insurance for self and family.