Associate Category Buyer

At National Grid, our commitment to a cleaner, greener energy future is powered by the dedication and ingenuity of our people. Join our team as an Associate Category Buyer and be a part of something bigger—where your unique skills and passions can make a real difference. Together, we are superpowered.

As an Associate Category Buyer, you’ll play a key role in shaping strategic procurement across our business. Reporting into the Category Manager, you’ll join a dynamic, collaborative team that drives high impact sourcing activity. You’ll partner with Senior Category Buyers and Category Managers to deliver category strategies, support multiple sourcing events, challenge demand, and help set smart, value driven sourcing approaches. You’ll also lead your own sourcing events end to end—taking full ownership from market engagement through to contract award. This role can be based in Warwick, Bristol, or Castle Donnington with hybrid working. We’re also open to discussing any additional flexibility that helps you thrive and make this role work for you.

What You’ll Do:

• Support and drive strategic sourcing events, working with Senior Buyers, Category Managers, and stakeholders to deliver smart, value focused outcomes.
• Research markets, assess suppliers, and share insights that enhance category strategy and boost procurement performance.
• Run end to end sourcing processes, ensuring every purchase delivers quality, consistency, and value.
• Work with Contract and Programme Managers to ensure smooth delivery, strengthen supplier relationships, and spot improvement opportunities.
• Manage tender events for key products, unlocking competitive, high impact solutions for the business.
• Identify future business needs and support robust forecasting to maximise long term value.
• Develop regional contractual agreements that meet stakeholder expectations and deliver strong, practical solutions.

What You’ll Have:

• CIPS qualification (or working towards it) with hands on experience in strategic sourcing and category management.
• Strong stakeholder and supplier management skills with the confidence to influence at all levels.
• Exposure to NEC4 terms and conditions.
• Solid understanding of project management and a track record of delivering multiple projects successfully.
• Critical and creative thinking, a collaborative mindset, and the resilience and communication skills to thrive in a fast paced environment.
• Excellent customer service and relationship building abilities, enabling credible, positive engagement with stakeholders.
• Strong multitasking and deadline management skills, balancing competing priorities without compromising quality.
• Proven data analysis skills, with the ability to turn commercial data into actionable insights and develop meaningful KPIs.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At National Grid, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace for everyone. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.

What You’ll Get:

• Up to £43,104 per annum—dependent on capability.
• As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
• You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

About Us:

National Grid is pioneering ways to decarbonise the energy system; from building interconnectors to allow the UK to share clean energy with our neighbours in Europe, to investing in renewable energy generation in the United States. As one of the largest investor‑owned energy companies in the world, National Grid is at the centre of a clean, fair and affordable energy future, where tackling climate change and reaching net zero is a key priority.

More Information:

This role closes at midnight on 4 February 2026. We encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points‑based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points‑based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.