Senior Energy Contract Buyer Permanent

The role of the Senior Energy Contracts Buyer reports directly into the Head of Procurement Services. Main duties include the procurement of ‘flexible’ and ‘fixed price-fixed term’ gas and electricity contracts, as well as water retail and metering agreements.

• The role will include an allocation of customers which the Senior Energy Contracts Buyer will manage and develop strong working relationships with. The successful candidate will be expected to liaise with suppliers and internal teams and act as a role of energy expertise and stewardship through effectively being an extension of our customers’ procurement and energy functions.
• The role will demand a high level of current technical industry knowledge and the ability for the candidate to keep up to date with on-going changes.
• The candidate shall be confident to negotiate all aspects of product and pricing, and be able to articulate how best value for money solutions have been sourced for customers.
• Capability to autonomously produce high quality numerical and written analysis of tender bid responses resulting in logically sound recommendations.
• Duties also include upkeep of internal systems and databases with high quality and accurate information
• Create and sustain strong relationships with all relevant stakeholders including suppliers and customers
• Ensure that all processes are followed.

• Running flexible gas and electricity contract procurement, following the procurement cycle from the creation of tender specifications (Key Selection Criteria), through to advertising tenders with suppliers, managing bidders responses and clarifications, analysing offers, and negotiating re-bids
• Commercially reviewing contracts to ensure that they are in line with all tender specifications. Awarding contracts that reflect negotiated positions and that are in line with the specification is of highest importance and requires keen commercial understanding with excellent attention to detail
• On-boarding awarded contracts with relevant internal and external teams to ensure that contracts are setup correctly
• General contract management where required to ensure that suppliers are carrying out awarded contracts in line with the agreed terms
• Use and maintain the internal procurement databases with information relating to awarded contracts
• Run other tender activities as and when required including managing MOP/DA/DC contracts and water procurement exercises
• Being a key member of the procurement team, the candidate’s duties will include keeping abreast of industry regulatory changes and have expert knowledge of cost elements that make up supply contracts. The successful candidate will need to be comfortable with spending time to research market and price changes
• Presenting detailed analysis of tender results to senior contracts within our customer base including their FDs, CEOs and procurement teams. Duties will include presenting rounded and articulate analysis of product and price which reinforces logically sound recommendations
• Carrying out procurement administration such as post-tender site additions and managing supply point registrations

• An energy expert with broad knowledge of how energy contracts are created and of the charges within them
• Experience of being responsible for energy procurement, particularly around flexible energy contracts for gas and electricity
• A confident person that can build relationships, influence and negotiate areas of product and price
• An excellent communicator with ability to speak to senior contacts either face to face or over the phone
• An analytical mind-set that has the capacity to ensure high accuracy of work when reviewing complex and large datasets
• Excellent commercial awareness and ability to recognise contractual risk
• Track record of ability to construct written reports to evaluate bids and create logical, balanced and clear recommendations
• Highly organisational character with excellent time management
• Self-driven character who can use initiative in problem solving situations
• A team player who enjoys working with customers and multiple touch points
• A character with a positive attitude that mirrors the culture and values
• Excellent level of written English and ability to develop recommendations and other tender reports to be provided to senior contacts within our customers’ organisations.
• A personality that positively handles a quickly changing environment
• Ability to keep calm under pressure
• Ability to research and learn autonomously and share knowledge within the wider team
• Proficient in IT and uses daily MS word, excel, PowerPoint, access, and outlook

Continuous Learning Development:

We would like the successful candidate to either hold a CIPs qualification or have the relevant minimum qualifications to allow them to work towards a CIPs qualification.

• Existing CIPs (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply qualification (or above) would be desired, however not essential.
• If you do not hold a CIPs Level 4 Diploma, a desirable candidate would have either a minimum of at least two A-levels (or international equivalent) or a CIPS Level 3 Advanced Certificate qualification. Alternatively, you could have a minimum of two years’ relevant experience in a business environment.