Senior Buyer (Maternity Cover)

Position type: Fixed term,12 months (Maternity Cover) Full time, 37.5 hours week, flexible hours considered

Responsible to: Procurement Manager

Location: Truro, Cornwall (hybrid) or Remote (UK only – with required travel to HQ up to 4 times a year)

Role purpose:

This is an exciting time at ShelterBox and, as we grow, our Procurement team is crucial to ensuring we’re equipped with the supply infrastructure we need to work, fundraise, budget, manage data and ultimately deliver vital aid. In addition to working on Indirect Items, the Procurement Team is a skills resource for the rest of the business, identifying and supporting with best practice in procurement and negotiations at all levels.

The Senior Buyer will join a busy and dynamic Procurement team of four individuals (two Senior Buyers, a Junior Buyer and the Procurement Manager) and will quickly become integral to the day-to-day running of the Procurement function. It is expected that the individual will have previous procurement experience.

The Senior Buyer will be responsible for a variety of Indirect Spend and Suppliers, with a particular focus on IT and similar categories. Additionally, the Senior Buyer will support the Supply Chain team and the rest of the organisation as a subject matter expert on negotiation and Procurement activities.

Who are we looking for?

ShelterBox is seeking a proactive individual with proven procurement experience to add capacity to the team. Attention to detail and diligence will be at the forefront of your skillset and you’ll need to be comfortable with numbers, data and sensitively posing challenging questions to understand business requirements.

We are looking for someone with excellent communications skills and the ability to balance multiple tasks with competing deadlines. The individual should be confident with developing and maintaining relationships both internally with other departments and externally with suppliers and partners.

This role would suit someone currently in a Procurement Role who is looking to expand their responsibilities and skillset. CIPs qualification is desirable.

Charity experience is appreciated, but we welcome applicants with appropriate experience in any sector.

Main role and responsibilities

Support proper stock and services acquisition through market discovery, supplier due diligence activities, tight contracting procedures, contract management, negotiating contracts, identifying cost saving opportunities, and document preparation and filing to ensure best value, efficiency, and accountability to donors and beneficiaries.

Handling a variety of stakeholders and manage expectations as well as delivering on promised outcomes.

Support the IT function through the roll out of the new Business System Transformation project as well as the acquisition of other licences and equipment.

Duties will include but not be limited to:

• Management of a broad range of categories across the organisation, focussing predominantly on indirect, non-stock purchases with a particular focus on IT.
• Work with Senior Management to identify procurement improvement priorities by analysing forecast spend, supply markets and specification options.
• Design, plan and lead the tender process for a variety of buying categories up to a contract value of £2m
• Contribute to the specification-writing process, leading to formal technical, performance and supply specifications that can be used in tendering; it is expected that the individual will write the final versions of those specifications and hold them on file.
• Regularly review and improve procurement processes for allocated categories, adapting to organisational strategic change.
• Working with the team, assess and manage risk across all allocated categories.
• Write, negotiate and sign off contracts with suppliers to achieve the maximum value for ShelterBox.
• Develop and maintain appropriate supplier and contract management processes for all allocated categories.
• Report on cost savings and avoidance and added value.
• Upskill individuals across the organisation on commercial processes, offering strategic advice and ensuring compliance with internal policies.
• Manage procurement-led projects such as procedure implementation, and software introduction.
• Develop and deliver sustainability improvements within the procurement function according to the Environmental Policy.
• Keep up to date with legislative changes, industry trends and market developments.
• Sign off on expenditure as per the delegation of authority level.
• Maintain departmental databases.
• Ensure that the procurement administration is kept up to date and that all filing is in accordance with policy.
• Support procurement-related projects across the organisation.
• Uphold ethical and professional procurement standards at all times.
• Maintain commercial confidence for internal matters, and matters pertaining to suppliers.
• Represent ShelterBox as required.

Any other duties as required which are deemed appropriate to the level and grade of the post.

Interviews for this role will be on 8th – 10th January 2025 and will be remote on Microsoft Teams.