Assistant Buyer

Job description

Job responsibilities

To effectively manage electronic requisitions, it is essential to process and place orders promptly, ensuring that goods and services are acquired efficiently and in a timely manner.

To carry out purchasing activities in compliance with Trust protocols, Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions, Professional Codes of Practice, and applicable regulations.

Engage with service users to offer procurement guidance, address their inquiries, and ensure that their needs are adequately fulfilled.

To foster strong relationships with user departments and ensure the delivery of exceptional customer service.

To inform service users about the correct procedures for requisitioning and ordering, while also ensuring that both requisitioners and authorised officers are fully aware of the necessary protocols to follow.

To identify areas with significant expenditures, particularly focusing on recurring low-value orders, and to communicate these findings to the Supply Chain Manager and the Strategic Procurement teams.

To engage proactively with the Trusts Supply Chain team to effectively address and resolve delivery inquiries. This collaboration should focus on establishing delivery arrangements for individual orders that enhance efficiency, while minimising potential delivery issues and queries.

Engage proactively with the Trusts invoice Payments Team to address and resolve any invoice-related queries. This collaboration aims to establish efficient payment arrangements, thereby reducing the likelihood of invoice discrepancies and issues.

To engage proactively with suppliers to establish agreements on pricing and delivery schedules, while also addressing any inquiries that may arise.

Utilise telephone and electronic communication to request quotes from suppliers, assess the received proposals, and collaborate with service users to determine the products and services to be acquired.

In collaboration with project teams, budget holders, and the Strategic teams, prepare summaries of quotations and tenders, assess the offers, and provide recommendations regarding the awarding of contracts.

The individual will be accountable for managing a specific range of low-value contracts under the guidance of the Supply Chain Manager, which includes overseeing the process of competitive quotation exercises.

To actively seek out opportunities for cost savings and present these findings to service users is essential. To cultivate and sustain a comprehensive understanding of the Trust, as well as national and framework contracts that the Trust can utilise, ensuring that these contracts are leveraged effectively to meet the needs of customers.

Document all savings realised in accordance with the Procurement Savings procedure.

The role involves addressing and resolving inquiries from system users via telephone and email, collaborating with the Supply Chain Manager as necessary, and ensuring that accurate records are kept.

To generate the necessary reports from procurement systems, it is essential to analyse purchasing data effectively.

The task involves the precise and effective organisation of records and data in both electronic and paper formats as necessary.

The role involves performing various administrative tasks as needed, which includes drafting letters and other documents using Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel. Additionally, responsibilities encompass managing telephone communications, organising files, and inputting data.

To leverage pertinent websites for acquiring information related to contracts, products, pricing, and suppliers.

Take charge of one's ongoing growth and enhancement in professional and technical skills through various avenues, such as attending conferences, participating in workshops, and utilising online resources and communication platforms.

To uphold the appropriate ethical standards while conducting the Trust's business, ensuring a high level of professionalism and integrity in all interactions with customers, suppliers, and colleagues.

Engage in team meetings as necessary.

Contributes to identification and development of value for money supply solutions.

Person Specification

Qulaifications & Education

Essential

• 3 GCSE (or equivalent) of grade C or above.
• Possess, studying or willing to study to NVQ level 3 in relevant subject or to CIPS Level 3 (Certificate in Purchasing & Supply) or equivalent qualification.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft office: Word, Excel, access and Power-point.

Desirable

• ECDL or similar qualification

Knowledge, Skills, Training & Expereience

Essential

• Experience of order purchase order processing and buying duties.
• Experience & knowledge of computerised purchase to pay systems
• Ability to interpret, summarise and analyse competitive offers
• Ability to work autonomously and be accountable for own actions
• Ability & experience of handling queries/complaints effectively
• Experience of meeting deadlines and set timescales
• Experience of handling supply negotiations
• Experience and ability to resolve payment and invoice queries, investigating route cause and resolving payment issues.
• Able to utilise initiative to solve problems and develop the service
• Ability to work as part of the wider team
• Experience of handling customer telephone queries.
• Customer service experience
• Ability to understand, interpret and analyse data and information

Desirable

• Experience of running competitive quotation and tender processes
• Ability to load catalogues onto a purchase to pay system.
• Working knowledge of NHS Standing Financial Instructions
• Experience of working in NHS Procurement services
• Experience of contract negotiation
• Experience of handling Field Safety Notices

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to plan, co-ordinate and manage workload and to establish priorities
• Good organisational skills
• Positive mindset in respect of supporting organisational change
• Customer focused
• Flexible to work practises and requirements.
• Enthusiastic/ Positive/Self-motivated.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Address

New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Road

Wolverhampton

WV10 0QP

Employer's website

https://www.uhnm.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)