Senior Buyer

Yorkshire Water; Bradford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company seeks a Senior Buyer in Bradford to lead sourcing projects and manage stakeholder relationships. The role offers hybrid working with 1-2 office days weekly and requires expertise in procurement and negotiation. Candidates should have experience in relevant sectors and a thorough understanding of legislation pertaining to procurement. Join us to deliver exceptional service for our customers while contributing to environmental sustainability.

Benefits

Flexible working patterns

Job share options

Pre-employment checks support

Qualifications

• Experience in the water, construction, or relevant sectors.
• Proven ability to negotiate effectively throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Demonstrable delivery of lifecycle management of complex contracts.
• Understanding of relevant legislation in the procurement process.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing projects delivering financial benefits.
• Undertake market analysis to drive continuous improvement.
• Manage stakeholder relationships for procurement projects.
• Articulate complex solutions to senior leaders.
• Ensure compliance with procurement regulations.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Negotiation

Sourcing

Stakeholder management

Supplier management

Procurement

Tools

SAP

ARIBA

Job description

Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to join a growing and transforming Commercial function as a Senior Buyer in the Commercial – Operations team at Yorkshire Water. Be a part of an exciting time at the start of AMP8, that provides new funding and regulatory focus for the Water industry, to enable the business to drive the transformation of Yorkshire Water that can provide the best service to our customers.

This is an exciting time for Commercial as we grow the capability in our team, support an extensive pipeline of activity and seek to drive good value for our customers. Could this be you?

Location: Western House, Bradford / Hybrid Working (1 – 2 office days a week).

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity to join a growing and transforming Commercial function as a Senior Buyer in the Commercial – Operations team at Yorkshire Water. Be a part of an exciting time at the start of AMP8, that provides new funding and regulatory focus for the Water industry, to enable the business to drive the transformation of Yorkshire Water that can provide the best service to our customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of a compliant end-to-end sourcing projects, that deliver financial benefit, risk mitigation and process efficiency through the application of whole life costing principles.
• Undertake in-depth market analysis and manage the market engagement process to drive continuous improvement and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Manage key stakeholder relationships across the business as part of delivering a procurement project.
• Be a Commercial subject matter expert with the ability to articulate complex solutions to stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Support and challenge stakeholders to define procurement needs that align with current and future business demand, whilst ensuring the solution provided addresses wider business needs.
• Lead and deliver procurement to ensure compliance with Utilities Contracts Regulations (UCR2016) and Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) and Internal Governance.

What we do / Where you fit in

As a Senior Buyer in our Networks Commercial Team you will manage development and delivery of sourcing strategies on frameworks supporting our Clean and Wastewater Network, as well as Smart Metering, to maximise value and achieve target savings, by;

• Lead the development and delivery of a compliant end-to-end sourcing projects, that deliver financial benefit, risk mitigation and process efficiency through the application of whole life costing principles.
• Undertake in-depth market analysis and manage the market engagement process to drive continuous improvement and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Manage key stakeholder relationships across the business as part of delivering a procurement project.
• Be a Commercial subject matter expert with the ability to articulate complex solutions to stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Support and challenge stakeholders to define procurement needs that align with current and future business demand, whilst ensuring the solution provided addresses wider business needs.
• Lead and deliver procurement to ensure compliance with UCR2016 and PA23 and Internal Governance.

Skills & qualifications

• What skills & qualifications you will need:
• Commercial acumen - knowledge and practical application from water, construction or other relevant sectors to deliver savings targets, quality services and effective contract delivery.
• Negotiation – Proven ability to negotiate effectively and resolve disputes efficiently throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Sourcing – development and ongoing management of procurement strategies, managing the portfolio of simple & complex sourcing strategies, procurement processes and compliance with legislative and governance requirements.
• Stakeholder management – ability to lead engagement with different business leads to understand needs to develop suitable commercial approaches that can achieve business plan targets.
• Supplier management – application of supplier & vendor management, performance management and contract segmentation & treatment.
• Procurement – to demonstrate a good understanding and application of relevant legislation and compliance in the procurement process.
• You will also benefit from having:

• Contract management – demonstrable delivery of lifecycle management of both high value and complex contracts and frameworks with multiple partner/suppliers.
• Comprehensive understanding of relevant Procure to Pay systems (SAP/ARIBA).

Interview dates

To be announced shortly.

Additional information

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If you’re an experienced Buyer and want to help us deliver exceptional service for our customers whilst protecting the environment, then apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer for you.

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.