Buyer

Description

As a Buyer, you will support the delivery of procurement activities across the business, ensuring goods and services are sourced efficiently, cost-effectively and in line with company policies. Working closely with internal stakeholders and suppliers, you will help drive value through strategic sourcing, supplier management and effective contract negotiation.

You will be responsible for managing the end-to-end procurement process, from requisition through to purchase order creation, maintaining strong supplier relationships and supporting initiatives to improve supplier performance, reduce costs and minimise risk. The role also involves analysing spend data, identifying opportunities for process improvements, and contributing to supply chain resilience and continuity planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Support strategic sourcing activities to deliver value, cost savings and supplier performance improvements.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Manage procurement processes, ensuring accurate purchase order creation and compliance with policies and procedures.
• Negotiate pricing, service agreements and low-value contracts to secure favourable commercial outcomes.
• Monitor supplier performance, compliance and quality standards, driving continuous improvement where required.
• Identify procurement risks and support the implementation of mitigation and contingency plans.
• Analyse spend data and procurement trends to identify efficiencies and cost reduction opportunities.
• Promote supplier diversity and ethical sourcing practices.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Previous experience in a Buyer or procurement role.
• Strong understanding of procurement processes, sourcing methodologies and supplier management.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to analyse data and identify opportunities for cost and process improvements.
• Experience using ERP, e-procurement or spend analysis systems is desirable.
• CIPS qualification or working towards professional procurement accreditation would be advantageous.

About OCU Group

At OCU Group, we don’t just deliver infrastructure - we help power modern life.

As one of the UK’s fastest-growing utility and infrastructure businesses, we deliver complex, nationally critical projects across power, energy transition, water, telecoms, and digital infrastructure. Over the last five years, OCU has grown five-fold to a £1.1bn organisation, expanding both organically and through strategic acquisitions across the UK, Australia, New Zealand and India.

Our growth is driven by ambitious people, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things properly. We work on projects that genuinely matter by supporting the UK’s energy transition, strengthening essential infrastructure, and helping build more sustainable communities for the future.

Whether you’re an experienced professional looking to take ownership of major projects and influence delivery at scale, or someone starting your career through an apprenticeship, graduate programme, or placement route, OCU offers real opportunity to grow, develop, and make an impact.

We are building a business where high performance, collaboration, innovation, and accountability sit at the centre of our culture. Our people are trusted to lead, encouraged to challenge thinking, and supported to continuously develop their skills and careers.

At OCU, you won’t just join a growing business, you’ll help shape it.

Our Culture & Values

At OCU, our values are at the heart of everything we do. We care about safety, lead with integrity, strive to be better every day, make a positive impact, and deliver to grow, together, as One Company United.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At OCU Group, we believe diversity, inclusion, and belonging are fundamental to building stronger teams, better ideas, and a more successful business. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

As part of our commitment to fairness and equality, candidates may be asked to complete an equal opportunities monitoring form during the recruitment process. This information is used for monitoring purposes only and plays no part in hiring decisions.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to offering interviews to candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions who meet the essential criteria for the role.

To ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to join our team, please inform us if you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment and interview process is, by emailing [email protected].