Senior Procurement Specialist

Job Description

At abrdn, our purpose is to enable our clients to be better investors.

Clients worldwide trust us to find future-fit investment opportunities to deliver the outcomes they want. Our technology and insight help empower them to make better decisions, while the powerful partnerships we build help to enhance the expertise that we offer. And by enabling clients to invest responsibly, it helps us to build a better world.

About the department:

The Global Procurement Team support the wider business in the procuring of goods and /or services to enable the organisation’s day to day operations. Using effective business partnering we support the delivery of commercial value whilst achieving improved service and effective risk management within the supply chain.

About the role:

Occupying a key position in the Procurement team, you will need to develop an understanding of our business and our suppliers in order to maximise performance and efficiencies. You need the ability to communicate and influence at all levels within the abrdn organisation and with external third-party suppliers.

You will work closely with SRM’s and key business partners to share knowledge, experience, and expertise related to standard methodology. You will be responsible for coordinating procurement activities for important business projects and applying strategic procurement techniques and standard processes to improve value for abrdn. You will provide SME procurement input and expertise to contribute to, and enable, the development of Category Strategies.

We are looking for you to map the current and future spend, conducting analysis of spend, scanning the market, challenging the status quo and looking at how the provided services can be delivered more efficiently and effectively.

Job Responsibilities:

• Support the execution of procurement plans across in-scope expenditure, consistent with abrdn’s Procurement strategy and business requirements

• Meet the needs of abrdn in terms of security of supply and regulatory compliance, quality, service, continuous improvement and delivery of best value

• Develop and support the implementation of procurement systems and solutions to address business requirements and challenges whilst maximising value and ensuring delivery of breakthrough results.

• Lead high level procurement initiatives including Tenders, RFP’s and negotiations, using appropriate procurement systems with legal and business participation.

• Provide SME procurement input and expertise to contribute to, and enable, the development of Category Strategies

• Work with the Global Head of Strategic Sourcing and the Global Head of Procurement Compliance & Governance to collaborate and engage with key business stakeholders in abrdn.

• Work with the Global Head of Strategic Sourcing and the Global Head of Procurement Compliance & Governance to manage relationships with key suppliers, to ensure effective supplier and contract management to drive the maximum value

• Understand regulatory requirements and supplier business strategies to support in the effective management of Third-Party risk.

• Keep abreast of developments within supply markets to enable competitive analysis and support in the development of risk management and mitigation plans

• Keep abreast of current procurement techniques and use and deploy them, as appropriate, to ensure areas of responsibility are at the forefront of modern thinking, and proactively support the further development of the Global Procurement function

Skills and Experience:

• Degree or equivalent experience, or currently working towards a degree

• Experience within in a fast-paced Global Procurement Environment

• Financially literate – able to understand profit & loss accounts and balance sheets, and understand the importance and impact of cash flow within our business

• Technologically literate – proven ability to optimize outcomes by demonstrating the use of sourcing tools & technology and automated processes.

• Strong organisational and time management skills

• Ability to challenge the status quo and see the comprehensive view of the bigger picture.

• Excellent negotiating and influencing skills

• Developed interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively at a senior level.

• Demonstrated skill in engaging and managing customers and partners successfully

• Highly motivated, confident, credible and trustworthy

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. Therefore, if you have a disability and would like to apply to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire and one of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.

Our benefits

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported.

When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days’ annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal. You can read more about our benefits here.

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment. We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance. We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone.If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.