Senior Buyer 2 year fixed term contract
The Company
Shape the future of critical UK infrastructure.
Northern Powergrid is responsible for powering everyday life for c.8 million customers across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. As the business prepares for its next regulatory cycle (ED3), it is entering a period of significant investment, growth and transformation, focused on building a smarter, more flexible and decarbonised energy network.
To support this journey, an opportunity has arisen for a Senior Buyer to join the commercial function on a 24-month fixed-term contract. This is a salaried role requiring on-site working (3 days per month remote-working)..
The Opportunity
This is a genuinely varied and impactful role within a procurement team that is evolving towards a more commercial, agile and business-partnering approach.
The pipeline is extensive and diverse, spanning areas such as:
- Overhead line and tower works
- Substation and civils projects
- Cabling and infrastructure programmes across major cities
- Plant and generator hire
- Wider engineering and network services
You will take ownership of end-to-end strategic procurement activity, including:
- Developing sourcing strategies from initial concept and market analysis
- Leading full tender processes (PQQ through to ITT, evaluation and award)
- Engaging the market proactively to drive competition and innovation
- Producing robust tender documentation and evaluation frameworks
- Analysing bids, assessing commercial value and making award recommendations
- Contributing to contract negotiation and implementation
- Building strong internal and supplier relationships
- Supporting continuous improvement within a changing procurement environment
About You
I'm keen to speak with commercially-minded procurement professionals who bring:
- Proven experience delivering end-to-end strategic sourcing projects (outside of mini-competitions)
- The ability to design and execute tenders independently — from strategy through to award
- Strong commercial judgement, with experience evaluating complex supplier proposals
- Experience operating within structured or blue-chip environments
- Confident stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
- A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset and the ability to navigate ambiguity
- Sector background is flexible - This role is open to candidates from goods or services procurement.
Be part of a business delivering critical national infrastructure investment, offering the opportunity to make a measurable impact during a key growth period, please get in contact.
Procurement
Newcastle Office
DD: +44 191 269 0773
M: +44 784 134 2887
E: katherine.hackett@nigelwright.com