The Company

Northern Powergrid owns and operates the network that distributes electricity to homes and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. Employing over 2,500 people, the business has 8 million customers and supplies 3.9 million properties via 60,000 miles of overhead powerlines and underground cables.

As part of Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE), the energy division of a US owned multinational conglomerate, Northern Powergrid is now embarking on a Digital Transformation which will modernise their systems and processes and enable them to satisfy the needs of customers and stakeholders whilst streamlining the employee experience. Creating a modern workplace which enables employees through the use of systems will be a key outcome of the programme. As a result, they are looking to recruit a number of roles that will be integral to delivering this programme of work over the coming years, including a Specialist Buyer.

The Opportunity

The Specialist Buyer will be responsible for procuring a variety of goods and service contracts, ensuring that best value is achieved for Northern Powergrid, in accordance and compliance with Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Northern Powergrid Policy and associated regulatory and legislative requirements. 

The Specialist Buyer will report into the Purchasing Operations Manager and will form part of a supportive multi-site Procurement Team.  The successful Specialist Buyer will ideally be office based 3 days per week in either Penshaw (Tyne & Wear) or Castleford, with the option of 2 days' per week remote-working.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Procuring and managing high value services' contracts/frameworks relating to servicing and maintaining overhead lines, substations and underground cabling, cable engineering services, IT service contracts, other network work programme activities
• Contract renewals/refreshes in relation to regulatory cycles covering varied categories 
• Redeveloping tender packs, ensuring the inclusion of updated specifications, new legislation and corporate strategy/developments
• Following/implementing defined strategies for each contract –  selecting best routes to market (including use of e-auctions, contract terms offered etc) to achieve best value
• Regular interaction/stakeholder engagement with Project/Programme Managers and Project Management Teams, subject matter experts to define correct specifications 
• Providing Procurement Business Partnering support building strong relationships with and encouraging early engagement of key stakeholders with Procurement Team 

About You

The successful Specialist Buyer will have/be:

• Experience of having worked with/for/interacted with Clients such as Northern Powergrid or other DNOs/within Utilities Sector essential
• An excellent understanding of/experience of managing full end to end tender process – experienced in leading tenders from PQQ to ITT through to response evaluation and contract award - essential
• Public or Private sector indirect procurement experience will be considered, although some knowledge of Public Sector Procurement would be beneficial
• Accustomed to utilising e-procurement portals and/or technically competent, skilled in Office applications
• Resilient with strong influencing and confident communication skills – accustomed to proactively engaging with and challenging key stakeholders such as Project and Programme Managers
• Accustomed to building relationships swiftly with multifunctional senior stakeholders 
• Commercially focused, proactive with a strong eye for detail
• MCIPS or working towards is essential for this role - the Client will support onward CIPS study

For a confidential discussion of this rewarding opportunity to work within a supportive team in an organisation which offers personal development and excellent benefits, please get in contact, quoting ref. 394293.