Assistant Category Specialist in Reading

AWE is an organisation with a unique and vital purpose: protecting the UK through world-class nuclear science and technology. By joining our team as an Assistant Category Specialist, you’ll help provide support to the commercial function across processes, systems, supplier management, governance and reporting.

Location: Reading, with free onsite parking.

Package: From £30,090 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

As the Assistant Category Specialist, you will support the category management team in a varied role that will certainly keep you engaged. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Supporting and contributing to procurement and contract management processes and analysis.
• Supporting and contributing to reviews of processes and systems.
• Managing and maintaining commercial data (e.g. electronic purchasing system, contractual/supplier records) and/or document libraries.
• Supporting supplier on-boarding and record management.
• Ensuring Supply Chain processes, tools and systems are understood and adhered to.
• Working with key stakeholders to ensure the speedy resolution of queries.

Who are we looking for? We are seeking an Assistant Category Specialist with previous experience as a Buyer, working within a procurement function, ideally in a category-led team. Candidates should have an understanding of category management and procurement processes, with exposure to indirect spend areas such as IT or professional services, would be beneficial. You will need to have strong computer skills, specifically using MS Office and data analysis so you should be comfortable using spreadsheets.

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we’d like you to have experience in some of the following:

• Proficiency in use of Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• User of electronic purchasing systems (e.g. Oracle and information management tools).
• Able to adapt method of communicating to a range of stakeholders.
• Preference for working in a highly regulated, compliance-driven environment.
• Proactive approach, tackles issues before they become problems.

We are able to support candidates working towards CIPS membership or looking to start their training, as part of your ongoing development plan.

Work hard, be rewarded: We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

Hybrid working is available for this role on an informal, non-contractual basis. Typically 2-3 days onsite per week.

Next steps: Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Important things you need to know:

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.