At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead buying operations to improve processes and resolve purchasing issues proactively.
- Company: Wellcome Sanger Institute, dedicated to advancing human health and life sciences.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, health benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for process improvement and automation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on science while shaping efficient buying operations.
- Qualifications: Experience in procurement, supply chain, or finance operations required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges.
We are looking for an experienced Buying Operations Lead to help shape and lead effective buying operations across the Wellcome Sanger Institute. This is not a purely reactive purchasing role. You will be expected to take ownership of the buying activity, anticipating issues before they arise, actively managing exceptions, challenging non-compliance with agreed processes. You will work proactively with stakeholders to resolve issues, remove blockers and find practical, compliant solutions.
Working across Supply Operations and closely with Finance, suppliers and colleagues across the Institute, you will lead the operational journey from requisition through to purchase order. You’ll use your judgement and step in, when needed to challenge and when to escalate, ensuring issues are addressed before they become problems. You’ll also play an active role in supporting and improving our buying processes, making them simpler, more reliable and increasingly automated, while ensuring they remain practical, compliant and fit for purpose.
About the Role:
As Buying Operations Lead, you will take ownership of requisition-to-purchase order workflows within Oracle Fusion, ensuring purchasing activity progresses accurately, efficiently and in line with agreed controls and buying policies. A key part of the role is exception management. Rather than simply responding to queries as they arise, you will actively identify blocked, overdue and higher-intervention purchasing activity, assess the risks and bring the right people together to resolve issues. This may mean facilitating conversations across teams, constructively challenging stakeholders or established ways of working, and ensuring agreed actions are followed through.
You will coordinate supplier onboarding and enablement and help resolve purchase order, receipting, invoice, pricing and delivery issues that could affect payment or continuity of supply. You will also look beyond individual transactions. Using operational data and exception trends, you will identify recurring problems, control weaknesses and opportunities for improvement, contributing to better workflows, greater automation and increased use of self-service buying through Oracle Fusion.
About You:
You will bring experience from procurement operations, purchasing, supply chain, finance operations or a related operational environment, together with a strong understanding of requisition-to-purchase order and procure-to-pay processes. You will be comfortable operating in a busy environment where the answer is not always straightforward. You can assess risk, investigate the root cause of an issue and decide what needs your intervention, what can be resolved through standard processes and what needs to be escalated.
Just as importantly, you will be a confident facilitator and constructive challenger. You will be able to build effective relationships while being prepared to question and push back when needed. You can bring people with different priorities and levels of process knowledge together, explain requirements clearly and maintain appropriate operational controls without losing sight of the practical outcome. You will enjoy using data and operational insight to spot patterns and prevent recurring problems, rather than simply resolving the same exceptions repeatedly.
Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills:
- Strong understanding of buying operations, requisition-to-PO workflows and procure-to-pay processes within a controlled operational environment
- Understanding of operational governance, workflow controls and the management of non-standard or exception-based purchasing activity
- Knowledge of purchase order, supplier, receipting and invoice data dependencies and common exception types
- Understanding of operational controls, approvals, audit trails and compliant record keeping
- Working knowledge of ERP or e-procurement systems; Oracle Fusion knowledge desirable
- Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Excel or equivalent reporting tools for operational data analysis
- Experience in procurement operations, purchasing, supply chain administration, finance operations or a related customer-facing operational role
- Experience managing operational purchasing activity, transactional exceptions or workflow issues within a procurement, finance or supply operations environment
- Experience identifying operational risks, process weaknesses or recurring issues and contributing to workflow, automation or process improvements
- Experience maintaining accurate transactional records and working to operational controls or audit requirements
- Operational judgement - able to assess risk, prioritise interventions and determine appropriate escalation routes within defined controls and policies
Buying Operations Lead employer: Sanger
Open Targets is an exceptional employer located in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, offering a collaborative and innovative work culture that prioritises the sharing of life-changing scientific data. Employees benefit from a supportive environment that fosters professional growth through multidisciplinary teamwork with leading pharmaceutical partners and access to cutting-edge research projects. With a commitment to improving human health, Open Targets provides unique opportunities for meaningful contributions to groundbreaking science while ensuring a strong focus on data quality and governance.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Buying Operations Lead
✨Get Savvy with Industry Perks
Join procurement and purchasing forums or groups where pros hang out, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply). They'll share the inside scoop on job openings that might not show up on traditional job boards!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Consider creating a portfolio that outlines your achievements in procurement, like cost-saving initiatives or supplier management strategies. Having tangible evidence of your skills can really set you apart when applying to companies like Sanger.
✨Tap into Your Network
Leverage LinkedIn to connect with professionals in procurement—follow relevant hashtags, join groups, and engage in discussions. This is a great way to get noticed by potential employers before they even post a job!
✨Keep Your Eyes on Job Boards
With full-time positions, timing can be everything. Set alerts on job boards specifically for procurement roles. Don't wait for a job posting to close; apply through our website as soon as you see a fit—being proactive can give you the edge!
We think you need these skills to ace Buying Operations Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Procurement Know-How:When you're crafting your CV, make sure to highlight any procurement-specific skills you've got. Talk about your experience with supplier negotiations, cost analysis, or inventory management. If you’ve used software like SAP or Oracle, don’t forget to mention that too – it shows you know your way around the tech side of things!
Quantify Your Achievements:In procurement, numbers matter. Use your CV and cover letter to showcase any quantifiable achievements you've made in reducing costs or improving efficiencies. For example, mentioning that you helped save 20% on purchasing costs last year is way more impressive than just saying you managed the budget!
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Sanger:Your cover letter should read like you’re chatting directly to Sanger. Research the company’s procurement strategy, mention how your skills align with their goals, and share your enthusiasm for contributing to their success. This personal touch can really set you apart from the crowd!
Professional Certs Can Go a Long Way:If you've got any procurement-related certifications, such as CIPS or APICS, make sure they're front and centre on your CV. These qualifications show you're serious about your career in procurement and are committed to continuous learning. It’s a great way to signal your expertise and dedication to potential employers like Sanger.
How to prepare for a job interview at Sanger
✨Show Off Your Negotiation Skills
In procurement, strong negotiation skills are key. Be ready to share examples of past negotiations where you've successfully saved costs or improved supplier terms. We want to hear how you approached those situations and the strategies you used to achieve positive outcomes!
✨Know Your Tools
Make sure you’re familiar with procurement software and tools commonly used in the industry, such as SAP Ariba or Coupa. Come prepared to discuss any experiences you've had with these tools or similar platforms, as we need someone who can hit the ground running at Sanger!
✨Understand Market Trends
As a procurement professional, being aware of market trends can set you apart. Brush up on recent developments in supply chain management or procurement best practices and think about how they could impact your role at Sanger. Bringing a current perspective will show your enthusiasm for the industry.
✨Demonstrate Your Team Player Attitude
A full-time position means you'll be working closely with various teams. Be prepared to discuss how you collaborate with others, manage conflicts, and build relationships with stakeholders. Sharing anecdotes about past teamwork experiences will highlight your ability to fit into Sanger's culture.
