AddressAbout the role
Great Britain's electricity system is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come.
Working as the Head of Direct Procurement you’ll set a clear and compelling strategy for the Electricity System Operator’s (ESO’s) direct categories, ensuring that maximum value and innovation are realised through ESO’s global supply chain.
ESO’s direct categories are a significant green-field growth area and currently relate to various medium to long term electricity network services procurement (known as ‘Pathfinders’) and competitively appointing owners of electricity transmission network assets (search ‘ESO Early Competition’).
Reporting to the Head of Procurement you’ll be responsible for the success and continuous improvement of category plans by working collaboratively with senior ESO and Procurement personnel and wider third party entities to leverage business, regulatory and market insight.
This role is based from Warwick, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home.
About us
The ESO has a key role to play in tackling climate change by transitioning GB’s electricity system to net zero. We already operate the fastest decarbonising electricity system in the world, with an ambition for zero carbon operation by 2025. And by 2035, we want to run 100% clean, green energy, all the time.
Becoming the future system operator
In 2021, government and Ofgem jointly consulted on proposals for an expert, impartial Future System Operator (FSO) with responsibilities across both the electricity and gas systems, to drive progress towards net zero while maintaining energy security and minimising costs for consumers. In October 2023, the Energy Act 2023 was passed, legislating for this Future System Operator to be created.
The ESO, including all of its existing roles, will be at the heart of the new Future System Operator. We will be taking on additional roles across vectors and sectors to create an organisation with a whole energy system mindset; enabling us to identify solutions to our energy system that are more sustainable, secure, and affordable for all.
The FSO will be set up as a public corporation with operational independence from government – bringing parties together to support optimised decision making and action. As now, it will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements. It is anticipated that the new organisation will be up and running in 2024.
The time to act on climate change is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.
Key Accountabilities
- Lead on the development of the strategy and implementation plan for ESO’s Direct category group, ensuring:
- Maximum value is being driven from the category areas with regards to spend, volume leverage, quality, compliance and innovation.
- Ways to unlock the full value potential within the procured spend base within the category are identified, implemented and, as applicable, learnings are shared across other category areas.
- A systematic approach to managing spend and tendering for the category area is adopted.
- Optimal deployment and leverage of a team of Procurement managers and buyers.
- Own the delivery of a portfolio of strategic sourcing events within allocated category area, working with stakeholders to plan and prioritise workload and challenge demand, identifying best sourcing strategies, compliant delivery, customer satisfaction and delivering events from market engagement through to award. Leverage resources from your team of procurement professionals.
- Undertake research and analysis to profile the characteristics of allocated category area – including external analysis of supply markets and supplier trends – to inform the category management planning process, ensuring opportunities to drive value are leveraged and that risks (e.g., around supply shortage, etc.,) are identified and mitigated.
- Work with lines of business, and colleagues across the ESO, including; engineering, market strategy, customer engagement managers and legal to develop future requirements, often taking a seat at the leadership team table to influence and contribute to business strategy.
- Understand the future requirements of the business and ensure this is factored into the category forward planning to deliver maximum value through your extensive knowledge of procurement value levers.
- Drawing on suitable resources to execute initiatives and working with Contract Managers, to scope and develop robust fit-for-purpose and value-adding contractual agreements.
- Own the consolidated view of allocated category performance (and sub-categories), reporting this view into the Head of Procurement and areas of the business as required to drive awareness of spend, opportunities.
- Act as a Customer Engagement Manager, ensuring there is a single point of interface into Directs for Procurement services.
- Maintain knowledge of the ESO’s policies and frameworks for contract and supplier management, ensuring compliance with the relevant processes
- Lead a highly motivated, innovative and value-focused team, developing talent and a performance management culture that drives value through employee engagement which successfully meets or exceeds all strategic objectives for the area.
- Provide support to business-wide change activities, role modelling new ways of working and leading the delivery of elements of the programme to ensure capability is improved and value added to the business.
About you
- Previous experience of understanding, identifying and executing multiple opportunities across a range of Categories to deliver value.
- Experience of broad, supply chain management in complex, global enterprise environments.
- Comprehensive experience in the management of tendering large events.
- Ability to communicate dynamically at all levels within ESO and externally to senior leaders within supplier, regulatory and other third party organizations (including C level executives)
- Has the ability to teach Category Management & Strategic Sourcing to an expert level within their teams.
- Track record of driving value beyond straightforward procurement savings in areas of value engineering, usage of lean techniques to identify and eliminate waste and identify income opportunities in the extended value chain.
- Good understanding of broader business objectives and the implications of strategic planning and actions within the category on the regional/global businesses.
- Expert influencing & negotiation skills to drive optimum value through the award of commercially sound contracts.
- Relationship management experience, driving commercial value and performance through major contracts.
- Skilled at developing and working through multi-disciplinary teams.
- Comfortable with procurement compliance.
- Experience of major infrastructure procurement, regulated procurement, and/ or energy markets is desirable
What you'll get
A competitive salary between £70,000 - £90,000 per annum – depending on experience
As well as your base salary, you will receive a company car or allowance, a bonus of up to 20% of your salary for stretch performance, private medical insurance, 28 days annual leave as standard and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
More information
This role closes on 05 February 2024 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.
We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office. #LI-HYBRID #LI-SC1
We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.
