Operational Buyer in Bedford

Location: Luton

Hours: Monday to Friday (35 hours per week)

At Innovus, we are committed to delivering market leading solutions and professional services. As an Operational Buyer, you will be contributing to our vision to be recognised as the market leading provider of services to the UK’s property sector.

Main Purpose of the role:

• Provide data driven insights and procurement analysis to support category strategies and sourcing decisions to further improve supplier performance and company growth.
• Enhance our procurement operations through process optimisation, data stewardship, reporting, and supplier lifecycle management.
• Act as a point of contact for internal stakeholders requiring analysis, procurement insights, and support.

Main Responsibilities:

• Procurement Analysis & Reporting
  • Analyse procurement data to identify opportunities, supplier performance trends, and areas for improvement.
  • Lead the monthly reporting cycle, specifically for Management reporting, with ongoing maintenance and management of associated data.
  • Produce and maintain dashboards and key reports (spend analytics, supplier scorecards, compliance metrics) along with supporting the development of KPIs, SLAs and procurement performance metrics.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Identify improvements to policies, processes, systems, and reporting to enhance procurement efficiency and user experience.
  • Identify procurement technology enhancements.
  • Participate in cross functional initiatives to improve supplier management, compliance, and procurement visibility.
• Procurement Operations & Process Excellence
  • Support the delivery of standardised procurement processes, policies, and operating procedures across business.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of ESG principles, particularly sustainable procurement practices.
  • Support risk and compliance activities, including Health & Safety, financial risk, and other operational risks relevant to procurement.
  • Collaborate with ordering team, Purchase Ledger, and Operations to improve the P2P cycle.
• Supplier Lifecycle & Performance Support
  • Support supplier onboarding (PQQ/accreditation), data validation, and ongoing re‑accreditation processes.
  • Assess supplier capability, quality, pricing, delivery, compliance, and performance through structured analytics.
  • Maintain supplier master data with accuracy and ensure alignment with procurement systems (e.g. Qube, Workday).
• Sourcing & Contracting Support
  • Provide support to sourcing events (including RFIs, RFPs, Tenders).
  • Support contract compliance checks, pricing validation, and document management in collaboration with Legal.
  • Assist in negotiation preparation through cost breakdown analysis, market cost comparison, and scenario modelling.

Skills / Experience:

• Essential
  • Experience of working with a wide range of procurement data, demonstrating strong analytical skills and high attention to detail.
  • Strong IT skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); understanding of Power BI, procurement systems.
  • Confident and articulate communicator - able to present insights clearly and influence decision making.
  • Ability to work under pressure, prioritise effectively, and manage workload independently.
  • Problem solving mindset with ability to investigate issues and recommend solutions.
• Desirable
  • Minimum of 2 years of procurement analysis and/or procurement operations experience.
  • Currently working towards (or hold) a minimum of CIPS Level 4 or Associate Membership.
  • Experience within a procurement role covering indirect categories.

Personal Qualities:

• "Can Do" attitude with a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with stakeholders and suppliers.
• Innovative thinker, able to challenge existing processes and propose improvements.

Working at Innovus:

At Innovus, we recognise that people come to work to do a great job, and we actively support this through our internal employee reward platform and a culture that celebrates contribution. We’re passionate about helping our people grow and progress, and we encourage ongoing personal and professional development. We also understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance, offering flexibility where possible depending on role requirements.

Everything we do is guided by our core values: Trust, Respect, Integrity, Innovation, and Delivery.

What We Offer:

At Innovus, we believe our people deserve the best, just like our customers. That’s why we provide the tools, training, and support you need to thrive, alongside a competitive salary and a great range of benefits. We're committed to creating a supportive, inclusive workplace where everyone can succeed.

Diversity and Inclusion:

At Innovus, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and recruit based on merit. We welcome applications from everyone, including those interested in job share opportunities. As an inclusive employer, we provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates. If you have any accessibility requirements or need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment and selection process, please contact our team, we are happy to support you.

Ready to apply:

Click the ‘Apply’ button below to begin your application. You’ll be asked to upload your CV and answer a few short questions. As part of the process, you may also be invited to complete online verbal and numerical reasoning tests. Please note that, due to the nature of our sector, all roles are subject to an Enhanced DBS check. If you meet the criteria for the role, we’ll be in touch to arrange a brief telephone interview. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to a first-stage interview with the hiring manager and a member of our team. Due to the high number of applications we receive, we may not be able to contact everyone individually — but we truly appreciate your interest in joining Innovus.