Professional Services Category Buyer (YPO)

Professional Services Category Buyer

Salary: £40,475 to £43,693 per year (Grade 10)

Contract: Permanent, Full-time, 37 hours per week

Location: YPO Headquarters, 41 Industrial Park, Wakefield WF2 0XE

Are you passionate about public procurement and category management?

YPO is seeking an experienced and strategic individual to join our established HR and Professional services procurement team.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits, including:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (West Yorkshire Pension Scheme)
• Family-friendly policies, hybrid working, and flexible arrangements
• 29 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays and 3 discretionary closedown days at Christmas
• Support to start or continue your CIPS qualifications towards MCIPS
• Comprehensive commitment to staff development and training

Your Role

In this dynamic and rewarding role, you'll create innovative and compliant procurement solutions for the public sector. Known as a Category Manager in many organisations, this position involves creating frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems, building strong supplier relationships, and delivering value-driven outcomes.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Procurement Leadership: Develop innovative and compliant procurement frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems, and other strategic solutions.
• Commercial Focus: Drive category spend and rebate targets, aligning your work with YPO's commercial and public service ethos.
• Supplier Management: Build strong supplier relationships, ensuring contractual compliance and fostering partnerships.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with new and existing customers, promoting YPO's category services and solutions.
• Market Intelligence: Stay ahead of industry trends by analysing market data and customer needs to maintain our competitive edge.
• Marketing and Promotion: Design and execute marketing plans to enhance customer engagement and awareness of our services.

Looking for a meaningful and varied career?

At YPO, every day brings new challenges and opportunities to innovate in procurement, supplier management, and marketing. This role is vital for achieving procurement excellence and commercial success while upholding a strong public service ethos.

As part of our HR and Professional services procurement category team, you'll manage diverse services for the public sector such as recruitment, apprenticeships, consultancy, and occupational health. You'll design frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems, delivering value-driven and compliant solutions for our public sector customers.

Thriving on market intelligence, supplier partnerships, and customer engagement, this role offers the chance to make an impact while advancing your category management expertise.

Find out more here:

HR and Professional Services Portfolio | Job Description

"Our mission is to help the public sector achieve the best possible value when buying products and services across the UK."

Established in 1974, YPO now has 50 years' experience in giving back to the public sector. Five decades ago, 13 local authorities came together to combine their buying demands and achieve efficiency, and that's when our organisation as it's known today began.

We supply products and services to a wide range of customers including schools, local authorities, charities, emergency services, the public sector, and other businesses such as nurseries and care homes.

We're 100% publicly owned by our 13 member authorities, which means the profits we make are returned to our public sector customers, delivering even better value for money.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV along with a one page supporting statement to Bradley on [email protected].

If you believe this role is the right fit for you or would like more information before applying, we encourage you to get in touch with Lucy Simpson (Category Manager) on 07741 843636 for an informal conversation.

Key Dates

Closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 15^th January 2025.

First stage interviews are planned to be conducted week commencing 20^th January 2025 and formal interviews are planned to take place in-person at our YPO Offices in week commencing 27^th January 2025.

We reserve the right to remove this vacancy before the proposed deadline in the event of the position being filled, a change of requirements or a large number of applications being received.

YPO is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, and welcome applications from all individuals.

We will not accept applications from agencies and can only consider applications from individuals with right to work within the UK.