Procurement Category Specialist

Hi! We\’re UW. We’re on a mission to take the headache out of utilities by providing them all in one place. One bill for energy, broadband, mobile and insurance and a whole lot of savings!

We’re aiming to double in size as we help more people to stop wasting time and money. Big ambitions, to be delivered by people like you.

Got your attention? Read on…

We put people first. It’s all about you…

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced professional with strong interpersonal and relationship management skills, capable of working collaboratively with both internal and external teams. The ideal candidate will possess excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication abilities, along with strong negotiation skills to ensure value for money in all business transactions. Experience across various functions, with a focus on specialist areas, is essential. Commercial and financial awareness, particularly in managing budgets and controlling costs, will be a key responsibility in this role.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong analytical abilities, along with investigative and planning skills to effectively identify and address business needs. Numeracy skills are also required for analysing data and providing valuable insights. If you have a passion for driving business efficiency, controlling costs, and making informed, strategic decisions, we encourage you to apply.

This is a hybrid role working from one of our London hubs 2 days per week.

We work together. Your team and the people you will work with…

We are building a new procurement team to enable the business to develop and thrift with their growth. This role is a new opportunity and has a chance to shape the future of the team and ways of working for the business. Being part of the journey to excellence, the role will sit within the Procurement & Property department. Collaboration with finance is key to ensuring value is generated for the business and stakeholders.

We deliver progress. What you’ll do and how you will make an impact…

We\’re looking for a dynamic procurement professional to work closely with our teams and ensure smooth supplier governance and top-notch performance of vendor contracts. In this role, you\’ll collaborate with various departments to develop strategies that maximise commercial opportunities while minimising risks. You’ll also assist with preparing RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs for services and products, and negotiate contracts worth up to £5 million, all while keeping a sharp eye on value, delivery, and quality.

You\’ll be the go-to person for developing tenders, evaluating bids, and making solid recommendations based on both commercial and technical insights. Building strong relationships with both new and existing suppliers will be a key part of your day, as will conducting value-for-money reviews of current contracts. Plus, you\’ll get to showcase your results by preparing reports on procurement activities, including cost savings and vendor performance, all while ensuring the security and sustainability of essential products and services.

Staying ahead of industry trends, price shifts, and new technologies will be vital to your success in this role. You\’ll also help identify and mitigate risks related to procurement, such as supply chain disruptions and vendor non-compliance. This role also means working closely with our Finance, Legal, and Compliance teams, building strong relationships to ensure everything runs smoothly. If you’re excited about driving cost savings and improving efficiency across the business, this role is for you!

So why pick UW?

We’ve got big ambitions so there’s going to be plenty of challenges. There are also a lot of benefits:

1. An industry benchmarked salary. We’ll share it during your first conversation.
2. Share Options and a Save as You Earn scheme.
3. Hybrid working, with 2 days in the office. (We’re definitely open to discussing flexible working arrangements)
4. Discount on our services and you get our coveted Cashback Card for free.
5. A matched contribution pension scheme and life assurance up to 4x your salary.
6. Family-friendly policies, designed to help you and your family thrive.
7. Discounted private health insurance, access to an Employee Assistance line and a free Virtual GP.
8. Belonging groups that help UW shape an even more inclusive future.
9. A commitment to helping you develop and grow in your role.

Apply here!

You’ve got this far… Hit apply – we can’t wait to hear from you! Worried you don’t hit all the criteria? We welcome applications from diverse and varied backgrounds so get your application in and let’s chat!

Additional Information

Not sure you meet all the requirements? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs if they think they may not meet every qualification, when in fact they often do.

We provide equal opportunities, a diverse and inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone. You are welcome to apply no matter your age, disability, gender, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. Please don’t be afraid to ask about what we can do to support your needs. All requests will be carefully and fairly considered.

Please note, if you are successful and offered a role at UW, you will be subject to a background check. Where checks are unsatisfactory or incomplete and/or a failure to reveal information relating to convictions that you are required to identify as part of the background checks, could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.

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