Senior Category Buyer

Description

• Drive Value - Demonstrates a collaborative approach with supply base and develops integrated plans to drive appropriate value for business and customer requirements
• Bid Analysis - Analyzes responses to complex bid requests, points out commercial differences, and makes succinct recommendations in selecting appropriate suppliers for contract awards
• Build KPI – Work with contract management to evaluate and build appropriate supplier performance measurements (KPls) into contractual frameworks
• Process Management and Improvement - Drive continuous improvement to identify and eliminate waste in the extended E2E Supply Chain. Identify innovative procurement solutions that provide savings benefits and process efficiencies for the organization. Ability to take those ideas and clearly articulate the change solution/improvements to various stakeholders and change board
• Supplier Engagement - Regularly engage with suppliers to seek feedback, discuss improvement opportunities, and resolve issues, while ensuring continuous enhancement of supplier performance and alignment with National Grid's objectives
• Source Events (RFx, Sole Source, Direct Negotiate) – Leads the execution of multiple sourcing initiatives using tailored procurement strategies to optimize value, mitigate risk, and support business objectives
• Foundation Criteria - Identifies critical suppliers and creates appropriate engagement plans to ensure our Supply Chain risk profile and inputs to continuous improvement are proactively managed
• Analytics - Utilize varied and complex data sets to identify gaps and new opportunities to drive benefits through the contracts End to End lifecycle, while implementing analytics as part of the Category Strategy
• Act as a mentor to other buyers in the organization
• Total Cost of Ownership - Evaluate and apply the concept of total cost of ownership (TCO) and supplier/ contract switching costs to support decision making options
• Market Research - Conduct industry analysis and evaluate supplier performance, incorporating the research into the Category Strategy and associated contract initiatives/bidding events
• Stakeholder Coordination - Develops and maintains relationships with business units and suppliers, while furth understanding the needs and issues that each side faces. At times acting as the interface/bridge between both parties

Requirements

• Commercial Negotiation - Capable of preparing negotiation strategies with clarity of desired outcomes and conducting complex negotiations successfully under aggressive time demands
• The candidate must have strong interpersonal skills, specifically in communications across a multi-national and matrixed organization.
• Ability to clearly articulate one’s position and be able to influence others
• Bachelor's degree (B.A or B.S) required; in supply chain or business management degree preferred, masters degree
• Experience with Developing Category Strategies - With support of the Category Manager/Lead, work with Stakeholders to evaluate and establish business needs, apply forward thinking skills establishing flexible long-term category strategies with value options & clear supplier performance criteria, while thinking “out of the box” longer term to minimize and mitigate risks
• Experience in the $10 – 20M spend range with contract and framework/multiyear agreements
• An equivalent combination of education and extensive subject matter expertise along with procurement process experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education requirements listed above
• Understanding Counterparty - Has comprehensive understanding of supplier's position, desired outcomes, and leverage points with the ability to maximize the benefits to the company while maintaining a good working relationship with suppliers
• In some cases, experience with bidding construction projects is a plus (EPC, EPCM; GMP, Design/Bid/Build, etc.) which includes full depth of knowledge of several models that can be articulated to the business that will help with the understanding of the pros & cons of each further acting as a trusted advisor for the proposed selection of the most appropriate model
• Strategic sourcing, contract negotiations and vendor management, as is a strong working knowledge of ERP systems such as SAP and ARIBA. Also, working knowledge of Power Bi, etc.
• Professional Certification in Supply Chain or Contract Management (I.E. CPSM and APICS)
• 5+ Years experience in a procurement role
• Candidate should be proficient in planning, project management, stakeholder engagement, and business analysis

Benefits

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance