Senior Buyer

Balfour Beatty plc; Motherwell; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Smart working

25 days annual leave

Pension + share incentive plan

Family friendly policies

Job summary

Balfour Beatty plc is seeking a Senior Buyer to lead a team of buyers in the Power Transmission & Distribution division, based in Motherwell, Scotland. You will own high-value procurement activities, oversee risk management, and report to senior leaders on procurement performance.

You will develop procurement strategies, manage supplier relationships, and drive continuous improvement across projects to support the region’s energy infrastructure and net-zero ambitions.

Qualifications

• Lead a team of buyers and junior buyers, driving continuous improvement and professional growth.
• Develop procurement strategies for major projects and align with risk appetite.
• Negotiate with suppliers and manage NEC Subcontract and commercial processes.

Responsibilities

• Mentor, coach, and develop a team of buyers and junior buyers.
• Lead procurement strategies for major projects and ensure timely delivery.
• Oversee supplier negotiations, bid evaluations, and contract awards for high-value packages.
• Prepare and present procurement insights and performance reports to leadership.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure timely material/service delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Presentation skills

Critical thinking & problem solving

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Education

Relevant business degree

MCIPS qualification (or desire to pursue it)

Tools

e-tendering platforms

Procurement tools

Documentation standards

Job description

About the role

Amazing infrastructure isn’t the only thing that gets built here. Incredible careers do too. Join Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution team as a Senior Buyer, based from our Maxim Park office in Motherwell, Scotland, and help deliver critical infrastructure that powers communities across the region.

At Balfour Beatty Power T&D, you will take full ownership of complex procurement activities, ensure robust risk management, and provide clear, insightful reporting to senior leadership teams at both project and business unit level. Your leadership will help shape the future of Scotland’s OHL business and support the UK’s energy security and net zero ambitions.

What you'll be doing

• Mentor, coach, and develop a team of buyers and junior buyers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
• Set clear objectives, provide regular feedback, and support team members in achieving their goals.
• Lead by example, demonstrating best practices in procurement and stakeholder management.
• Take full ownership of high-value and high-risk procurement activities, ensuring compliance with company policies and industry best practice.
• Develop and implement procurement strategies for major projects, aligning with business objectives and risk appetite.
• Oversee procurement schedules, ensuring integration with project timelines and delivery milestones.
• Lead supplier negotiations, evaluations, and risk management for critical contracts.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships focused on value, quality, and innovation.
• Oversee the end-to-end tendering process, including issuing ITTs, bid evaluation, and contract award for high-impact packages.
• Ensure robust management of subcontractor performance, addressing underperformance and escalating risks as required
• Prepare and deliver high-quality reports and presentations on procurement performance, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership teams at project and business unit level.
• Provide commercial insight and recommendations to inform strategic decision making.
• Act as the key procurement representative in project reviews, steering groups, and business unit meetings.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to ensure timely delivery of materials and services.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, leveraging data and feedback to enhance efficiency and value.
• Resolve complex supplier queries and escape unresolved issues to senior management as appropriate.

Who we're looking for

• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills with the ability to resolve complex challenges and present well-grounded insights.
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage performance, and influence senior stakeholders.
• Presentation Skills: Confident in presenting procurement insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Procurement Knowledge: Experience in NEC Subcontract and commercial processes, with a strong track record in negotiation and contract management.
• Technical Expertise: Proficient in e-tendering platforms, procurement tools, and documentation standards.
• Experience: Significant procurement experience in Utilities or Construction, managing both materials suppliers and subcontractors.
• Education: Relevant business degree, MCIPS qualification (or desire to pursue it), or equivalent experience.
• Travel: Willingness to travel within Scotland and across the UK for supplier visits and project/team meetings.

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

- Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
- 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
- Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
- Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About us

Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution teams work with regional, national and international electricity network owners and operators to provide technical engineering solutions across the full spectrum of the electricity grid, including overhead lines, cabling, substations and distribution networks.

From scoping and feasibility, to design, construction and on-going maintenance, our in-house experts, flexible resources and industry-leading innovations support customers in the development of some of the UK’s most ambitious power transmission and distribution projects.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through 

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: [e-mail]