Operational Business Partner

Johnson Matthey; Royston; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leader in sustainable technology seeks an Operational Business Partner in Royston to lead procurement and drive sustainable outcomes. You'll manage supplier performance, ensure compliance with global policies, and collaborate with local and global teams to improve procurement processes. Ideal candidates will have relevant vocational education and experience in sourcing and procurement operations. Competitive salary and flexible working available.

Benefits

Retirement savings

Medical plans

Fitness discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience in sourcing and procurement operations.
• Ability to work effectively across diverse cultures and manage stakeholders remotely.
• Full proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary contact for procurement demands and identify improvement opportunities.
• Manage supplier performance and implement supplier agreements.
• Support local teams in using global procurement tools and processes.

Skills

Procurement operations

Sourcing

Supplier performance management

Contract negotiation

Procure-to-Pay (P2P) processes

Microsoft Office

ERP platforms

Education

Vocational education relevant to procurement or a related field

Tools

SAP

Coupa

Job description

Job title: Operational Business Partner
Location: Royston

World-changing careers, enabled by Johnson Matthey.
With over 200 years of history, join us and help accelerate the transition to net zero.

As Operational Business Partner, you’ll support JM’s mission in sustainable technology by leading procurement at the site and across key procure-to-pay (P2P) activities across your region. You’ll ensure compliance with global procurement policies, manage supplier performance, and serve as the link between global strategy and local business needs. In this role, you’ll be responsible for all procurement of goods and services at the site, drive process excellence and policy adherence, foster collaboration, and support continuous improvement to help deliver impactful, sustainable outcomes.

The role:

As an Operational Business Partner, you will help drive our goals by:
• Act as primary contact to local stakeholders for their demands around end-to-end procurement of goods and services and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Understand local site business requirements and advise on available solutions and applicable processes to best fulfil them, representing those requirements to the Procurement organization.
• Act as liaison between site(s), suppliers and procurement category/supplier managers for supplier performance management and reviews.
• Support local implementation of supplier agreements in line with savings strategies, including steering spend pro-actively to JM preferred or approved vendors.
• Drive locally effective, efficient and compliant utilisation of Coupa, and other global tools, processes and platforms e.g. SAP, embedded into procurement operating model.
• Collaborate with other Procurement team members, across geographies, categories and businesses to identify process and system gaps – with local visibility and impact.

Key skills that will help you succeed in this role:

• Vocational education relevant to procurement or a related field.
• Proven experience in sourcing, procurement operations, and Procure-to-Pay (P2P) processes.
• Strong knowledge of procurement best practices, sourcing strategies, contract negotiation and management and category management activities.
• Ability to work effectively across diverse cultures and geographies, managing stakeholders and teams remotely across different time zones.
• Experience operating in complex environments of similar size and scale
• Full proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook)
• Familiarity with P2P systems, ERP platforms, e-procurement tools, and workflow technologies.
• Proficiency in procurement systems (e.g., SAP, Coupa is a plus) and Microsoft Office.
• A proactive self-starter who communicates clearly, responds quickly, and brings solutions—in a fast-paced environment.

Even if you only match some of the skills, we’d love to hear from you to discuss further!

What we offer:

We make sure salaries are fair, competitive and aligned to individual roles, experience and responsibilities. We are also supportive of hybrid and flexible working and where applicable, offer life, medical and other benefits that support our employees’ financial and physical wellbeing, such as:

• Retirement savings
• Share plans
• Saving accounts
• House saving funds
• Life and disability insurance
• Commuter allowances and loans
• Medical plans / health assessments
• Fitness discounts

Ready to make a meaningful impact on your career and the environment? Join us and help shape a sustainable future while advancing your career!
At JM, inclusivity is central to our values. We create an environment where everyone can thrive, embracing diverse perspectives to tackle challenges and ensure all colleagues feel valued and connected.

For any queries or accessibility requirements, please contact [e-mail]. We will work with you to make suitable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. All conversations are confidential, and your feedback is welcome to help us provide an accessible and positive recruitment experience.
Closing date for applications: This job advertisement will be posted for a minimum of 2 weeks, early application is advised.

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To submit your application, please click the "Apply" button online.

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Johnson Matthey Plc is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.