Category Buyer

Job Role: Category Buyer

Location: Luton

Hours: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

At Innovus we are committed to delivering market leading solutions and professional services and as a Category Buyer, you will be contributing to our vision to recognised as the market leading provider of services to the UK’s property sector.

We are proud to employ highly skilled, experienced, and innovative people who deliver business expertise and service across the property industry.

Main Purpose of Job

The Purpose of the job role is to develop, improve and implement category strategies which demonstrate value for money and a high-quality solution. Through doing this you will be able to provide peace of mind to our clients that the supply chain is managed effectively, through suppliers that are able to meet the clients needs.

Position in Organisation

The Category Buyer role sites within the Procurement team in the Business Solutions division. The role will report into the Category manager of Asset Compliance and Procurement Operations and there will be no direct reports.

Main Responsibilities

• Supports Category Manager, acting as a Procurement & Supply Chain advisor and subject matter expert on each category, within FirstPort and externally as appropriate.
• Develops relationships with stakeholders to understand the needs of the business and maintains appropriate stakeholder maps.
• Supports Category Manager in developing and implementing agreed category strategies/plans, mobilising the successful framework suppliers, and demobilising non-framework suppliers in agreement with Operations in line with the business needs and objectives.
• Develops and documents implementation plans that include comprehensive business requirements analysis and quantified value for money, cost reduction/improvement targets.
• Working with Legal, Technical, Health & Safety, and Operations key stakeholders and the Category Manager, develops and implements rigorous contracts for all critical, strategic and preferred suppliers within the category, incorporating service level and continuous improvement targets including SLAs/KPIs.
• Conducts supplier segmentation and develops, maintains preferred supplier listing with an approved product/service list for their category and effectively communicates this to the business.
• Manages supplier contracts and conducts regular performance management with preferred suppliers. Proactively identifies monitors and resolves strategic / critical and preferred supplier issues for category.
• Regularly engages stakeholders and suppliers to understand their issues or concerns; feedback to Category Managers and Procurement Operations; and seeks to improve procurement practice across FirstPort. Supports internal stakeholders by providing subject matter expertise, guidance and information on categories.
• Develops and maintains stakeholder and communication plans on behalf of the category teams.
• Conducts procurement activity in accordance with company procedures, Health & Safety, compliance, regulatory, stated ethics and CSR policies, etc.

Key Interfaces

• Internal departments and key executives
• External businesses and organisations, in particular key suppliers and clients
• Key influencers (internal and external)

Qualifications

• Member/Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).
• Studying towards MCIPS and/or Graduate.

Experience

Essential:

• Has experience of category management and can develop category strategy, manage sourcing events, negotiations, contract management, deployment and supplier relationship management.
• Has experience of managing/supporting communications across multiple business functions/stakeholders.
• Has experience working within a changing and fast paced environment with demanding business objectives.

Desirable:

• 1-3 years procurement / procurement operations / category experience.
• Has supply market knowledge and experience of spend category.
• Demonstrates track record in supplier selection, negotiation and contract management delivering value for money, cost and/or revenue targets.
• Demonstrates track record of developing and maintaining stakeholder and supplier relationships.
• Has experience of organising/managing data and producing performance analysis.

Technical Skills

• Presentation skills
• Ability to chair meetings.
• Project management skills.
• Excel

The Benefits

Our customers deserve the best and the same applies to our people. We’ll support you with all of the technology, training and support that you need to do your job well. We offer competitive salaries and a range of benefit packages. In addition to the core benefits, we also offer a range of exclusive discounts on extra benefits to help you and your family make the most of your money, safeguard your future and look after your health.

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Diversity and Inclusion

We’re committed to promoting diversity at Innovus and recruit on merit. We will consider applications from job share applicants.

Innovus is an inclusive employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants. If you have an additional need at any stage of our recruitment and selection process do speak to one of our team to let us know how we can accommodate you.

Ready to apply?

Click the below apply button to start your application for this role. We will ask you to upload your CV and answer a few questions. You may also be asked to complete verbal and numerical reasoning tests online.

Please note, due to our sector all roles are subject to an Enhanced DBS.

If you meet the criteria for the role, we’ll be in touch to arrange a short telephone interview and our shortlist of candidates will be invited to attend a first interview with the hiring manager and another member of our team.