Procurement Operations Lead
12 month Fixed Term Contract
£45,000 - £50,000

Who are we?

First Rail Holdings is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London.  FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier.  FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job

The Procurement Operations Lead is a new role and is responsible for designing, implementing and managing First Group's contract renewal process within the procurement function and ensuring the procurement pipeline is accurate at all times. They will lead a team of Buyers and provide commercial guidance and expertise, working closely with the wider procurement team and business to ensure success. This role promotes good risk-management and outstanding service delivery, enabling us to achieve our vision of becoming a best-in-class function within our industry. The Procurement Operations Lead will also provide support on ad-hoc projects as directed by the Head of Procurement – Fleet & Engineering.

This role is a key part of the wider Procurement function which is focused on delivering best value for money and promoting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and Social Value benefits through sourcing and contracting. Key responsibilities of this role will include ownership and management of ‘low-value' / ‘low-risk' contracts across a wide range of categories and will involve sourcing and tendering, supplier and contract management, negotiation and contract drafting. The role will also contribute to the FRH procurement annual savings target

Your main responsibilities will be:

• In collaboration with others, design, implement and manage the process for all centrally managed contract renewals to ensure no un-planned contracts expire across the portfolio.
• Ensure the process is robust, fit-for-purpose and effective.
• Lead a small team of [Buyers], providing guidance, training and support as required to deliver the objectives of the role.
• Collaborate with the wider procurement team to understand current and future needs, ensuring no contract ‘falls between the gaps', taking full accountability of the ongoing pipeline and liaising with procurement colleagues to ensure roles and responsibilities are understood in relation to pipeline delivery.
• Work closely with wider business stakeholders promoting procurement policy and processes to raise the function's profile through clear communication and engagement.
• Track and manage performance metrics such that success is measured and achieved, submitting reports on a regular basis as part of a good governance structure.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

Demonstratable accuracy and thoroughness with an ability to look for ways to improve processes and tools with effective change management.

Excellent sourcing and negotiation skills.

Excellent understanding of contract law, across a wide range of categories.

Ability to work independently, using initiative and managing multiple tasks at any one time.

Innovative problem-solving skills combined with a solution-oriented mindset.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to build credibility with internal and external stakeholders.

Developed influencing skills in managing effective working relationships with key stakeholders at all levels.

A high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Desirable:

• CIPS qualified or working knowledge / experience of end-to-end Procurement processes.
• Experience of working in the rail & bus sectors.
• Deeper experience of IT categories.
• Working knowledge of procurement legislation and process (specifically Utilities Contract Regulations).

About the location

First Rail Holdings Ltd, 8th Floor, The Point, 37 North Wharf Road, London, E2 1AF

We all belong at First Rail Holdings . FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/