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- Tasks: Join us as a Graduate Indirect Buyer, supporting procurement strategies and supplier management.
- Company: Smiths Group is a global leader in technology and innovation, committed to sustainability.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working options, professional development opportunities, and a vibrant company culture.
- Why this job: Make an impact by driving sustainable practices and collaborating with diverse teams.
- Qualifications: A degree in Procurement or related field is preferred; strong analytical and communication skills are essential.
- Other info: We celebrate diversity and promote an inclusive workplace for all applicants.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.
To provide procurement subject matter expertise, to support the development and implementation of Procurement category strategies that will deliver sustainable competitive advantage Globally/Regionally within the specific category, by:
- Engaging with Stakeholders to develop most relevant product/service specifications
- Supporting the Category Managers in designing and deploying category and sourcing strategies that align to the business and divisional strategies and requirements
- Delivering sustainable competitive advantage through the effective sourcing and spend management within the categories
- Minimising Smiths risk exposure within the category
- Utilising best in class procurement practices.
- Measuring and reporting Procurement performance in line with agreed key performance indicators
- Analysing spend and market information to ensure category strategy relevance
- Delivering effective contract management
- Promoting and communicating the value of the Indirect Procurement function across the business
Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management
- Support Category Managers in development, communication and delivery of the category strategy and business commitments.
- Supplier Identification and Selection: Identify potential suppliers, evaluate their capabilities, and select the most suitable, based on criteria such as cost, quality, reliability, sustainability and compliance with corporate standards.
- Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Foster strong, collaborative relationships with key suppliers to ensure long-term value creation, innovation, and continuous improvement
Cost Management and Value Optimisation
- Negotiation: Leverage the company’s purchasing power to negotiate favourable terms and conditions, including price, delivery schedules, and payment and contract terms.
- Cost Analysis and Reduction: Continuously analyse costs and seek opportunities to reduce total costs through better pricing, alternative sourcing, or process improvements.
Risk Management and Compliance
- Risk Assessment: Identify and mitigate risks associated with the supply chain, such as supplier financial stability, geopolitical issues, and environmental concerns.
- Compliance: Ensure that all procurement activities comply with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the company’s ethical standards and policies.
Operational Efficiency
- Support the categories’ operational, execution and transactional requirements
- Process Optimisation: Streamline procurement processes to improve efficiency, reduce cycle times, and eliminate administrative waste.
- Technology Integration: Support and utilise advanced procurement technologies and systems (e.g., S2P solution) to enhance data accuracy, visibility, compliance, and decision-making.
Performance Measurement and Reporting
- KPIs and Metrics: Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the procurement and category function.
- Reporting: Provide regular reports and insights to senior management on procurement activities, savings achieved, supplier performance, and market trends.
Sustainability and ESG
- Support the VP of Sustainability, ESG and Indirect Procurement to ensure the function is provided with high quality navigation, forecasting and business planning metrics that facilitate insightful sustainability and commercially focussed decision making.
- Conducting regular reviews of all aspects of the sustainability and procurement within the role to monitor and drive performance and identify areas requiring greater focus (ie Ecovadis)
- Assessing on a regular basis whether the business has sufficiently aligned its resources to achieve its strategic and sustainability objectives.
- Ensuring sustainability and procurement is represented appropriately on all key project and decision-making panels.
- Coaching for complex tradeoffs
- Conduct regular and broad ranging analytical reviews to provide comfort on the completeness, timeliness, and accuracy of Sustainability & procurement projects.
- Support the validation of large Capex and Opex investment requests, benefit assumptions and post completion reviews.
- Monitoring business case delivery on all Sustainability and procurement programs that support Net Zero delivery plans
- Project management, group-wide target setting, tracking & reporting
- Supplier audits as required.
Building Organisational Capabilities
- Synchronise with service back office to mature procurement operational efficiencies and data & analytics capabilities
- Internal Controls: Ensure adequate financial and non-financial controls are in place to ensure compliance and assurance to audit standards.
- Policies & Procedures: Ensure the business is compliant with all Smiths Group sustainability, procurement and financial policies and procedures. Complying with and promoting all relevant legal requirements & Smiths policies and procedures, including business ethics, data protection and health & safety.
Fostering Cultural Change
- Exemplar of indirect procurement and supplier sustainability
- Define and communicate the vision for transformation
- Champion cultural change through education
- Promote mindset shift on cultural behaviours
- Quantifying and communicating commercial, environmental and social benefits
- Engaging with best practice leaders
- Communication: maintain open and clear lines of communications with all relevant stakeholders.
Job Description
To provide procurement subject matter expertise, to support the development and implementation of Procurement category strategies that will deliver sustainable competitive advantage Globally/Regionally within the specific category, by:
-
- Engaging with Stakeholders to develop most relevant product/service specifications
- Supporting the Category Managers in designing and deploying category and sourcing strategies that align to the business and divisional strategies and requirements
- Delivering sustainable competitive advantage through the effective sourcing and spend management within the categories
- Minimising Smiths risk exposure within the category
- Utilising best in class procurement practices.
- Measuring and reporting Procurement performance in line with agreed key performance indicators
- Analysing spend and market information to ensure category strategy relevance
- Delivering effective contract management
- Promoting and communicating the value of the Indirect Procurement function across the business
Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management
- Support Category Managers in development, communication and delivery of the category strategy and business commitments.
- Supplier Identification and Selection: Identify potential suppliers, evaluate their capabilities, and select the most suitable, based on criteria such as cost, quality, reliability, sustainability and compliance with corporate standards.
- Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Foster strong, collaborative relationships with key suppliers to ensure long-term value creation, innovation, and continuous improvement
Cost Management and Value Optimisation
- Negotiation: Leverage the company’s purchasing power to negotiate favourable terms and conditions, including price, delivery schedules, and payment and contract terms.
- Cost Analysis and Reduction: Continuously analyse costs and seek opportunities to reduce total costs through better pricing, alternative sourcing, or process improvements.
Risk Management and Compliance
- Risk Assessment: Identify and mitigate risks associated with the supply chain, such as supplier financial stability, geopolitical issues, and environmental concerns.
- Compliance: Ensure that all procurement activities comply with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the company’s ethical standards and policies.
Operational Efficiency
- Support the categories’ operational, execution and transactional requirements
- Process Optimisation: Streamline procurement processes to improve efficiency, reduce cycle times, and eliminate administrative waste.
- Technology Integration: Support and utilise advanced procurement technologies and systems (e.g., S2P solution) to enhance data accuracy, visibility, compliance, and decision-making.
Performance Measurement and Reporting
- KPIs and Metrics: Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the procurement and category function.
- Reporting: Provide regular reports and insights to senior management on procurement activities, savings achieved, supplier performance, and market trends.
Sustainability and ESG
- Support the VP of Sustainability, ESG and Indirect Procurement to ensure the function is provided with high quality navigation, forecasting and business planning metrics that facilitate insightful sustainability and commercially focussed decision making.
- Conducting regular reviews of all aspects of the sustainability and procurement within the role to monitor and drive performance and identify areas requiring greater focus (ie Ecovadis)
- Assessing on a regular basis whether the business has sufficiently aligned its resources to achieve its strategic and sustainability objectives.
- Ensuring sustainability and procurement is represented appropriately on all key project and decision-making panels.
- Coaching for complex tradeoffs
- Conduct regular and broad ranging analytical reviews to provide comfort on the completeness, timeliness, and accuracy of Sustainability & procurement projects.
- Support the validation of large Capex and Opex investment requests, benefit assumptions and post completion reviews.
- Monitoring business case delivery on all Sustainability and procurement programs that support Net Zero delivery plans
- Project management, group-wide target setting, tracking & reporting
- Supplier audits as required.
Building Organisational Capabilities
- Synchronise with service back office to mature procurement operational efficiencies and data & analytics capabilities
- Internal Controls: Ensure adequate financial and non-financial controls are in place to ensure compliance and assurance to audit standards.
- Policies & Procedures: Ensure the business is compliant with all Smiths Group sustainability, procurement and financial policies and procedures. Complying with and promoting all relevant legal requirements & Smiths policies and procedures, including business ethics, data protection and health & safety.
Fostering Cultural Change
- Exemplar of indirect procurement and supplier sustainability
- Define and communicate the vision for transformation
- Champion cultural change through education
- Promote mindset shift on cultural behaviours
- Quantifying and communicating commercial, environmental and social benefits
- Engaging with best practice leaders
- Communication: maintain open and clear lines of communications with all relevant stakeholders.
Qualifications
The candidate will ideally hold a degree and post graduate qualification in a relevant supporting subject i.e. Procurement (MCIPS), or relevant year in industry. The candidates should also ideally:
- Understand and leverage the benefits from an integrated sustainability and indirect procurement function that sits within the overall Smiths business and extends to the holistic value stream (key suppliers and partners are an extension of the enterprise)
- Strong and broad stakeholder engagement and business change experience in an influencing role across all the different businesses/functions that foster key strategic stakeholder relationships.
- Experience of dealing with large organisations in ambiguous multi-cultural and matrix structures.
- Experience of managing and ensuring robust internal and external assurance requirements
- A conscientious approach supporting category strategy development and thirst for analysis and problem solving built on strong analytical skills.
Strong presentation, writing skills and effective communication is crucial
Additional Information
Diversity & Inclusion:
We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.
At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Detection, Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers – Smiths Group plc)
We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.
At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers – Smiths Group plc)
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Created on 12/07/2025 by TN United Kingdom
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Graduate Indirect Buyer employer: Smiths Group
Contact Detail:
Smiths Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Graduate Indirect Buyer
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with procurement best practices and sustainability principles. Understanding how these concepts apply to the role of an Indirect Buyer will help you engage effectively with stakeholders and demonstrate your knowledge during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the procurement field, especially those who have experience in indirect procurement. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to gain insights and make connections that could lead to opportunities at StudySmarter.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your analytical skills and how you've used them in past experiences. Be ready to provide examples of how you've identified cost-saving opportunities or improved processes, as these are key aspects of the Graduate Indirect Buyer role.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Smiths Group's values and recent initiatives in sustainability and procurement. Being knowledgeable about the company’s goals will allow you to tailor your conversations and show your genuine interest in contributing to their mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Graduate Indirect Buyer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience and skills that align with the responsibilities of a Graduate Indirect Buyer. Focus on procurement-related projects, stakeholder engagement, and any analytical work you've done.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Mention specific aspects of the job description that resonate with you, such as sustainability initiatives or supplier relationship management, and explain how your background makes you a great fit.
Showcase Analytical Skills: Since the role involves analysing spend and market information, provide examples in your application that demonstrate your analytical abilities. This could include coursework, projects, or previous job experiences where you successfully used data to drive decisions.
Highlight Communication Skills: Effective communication is crucial for this position. Include examples of how you've successfully communicated with stakeholders or presented information in a clear and engaging manner. This will show that you can foster strong relationships and promote the value of procurement.
How to prepare for a job interview at Smiths Group
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Graduate Indirect Buyer. Familiarise yourself with procurement strategies, supplier management, and risk assessment. This will help you answer questions confidently and demonstrate your knowledge.
✨Showcase Analytical Skills
Since the role involves analysing spend and market information, be prepared to discuss your analytical skills. Bring examples of how you've used data to make decisions or improve processes in previous experiences, even if they were academic projects.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities. Think about potential challenges in procurement and how you would approach them. This could include negotiating with suppliers or managing risks.
✨Demonstrate Communication Skills
Effective communication is key in this role. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully engaged with stakeholders in the past. Highlight any experience you have in presenting ideas or collaborating with teams to achieve common goals.
