Buyer

Location: United Kingdom
Office: Birmingham
Discipline: Finance
Contact name: Ben Porter

Contact email: [email protected]
Contact phone: 07587481088
Vacancy reference: 020769
Closing date: 29 September 2023

A full time, permanent role based in Birmingham with occasional travel and hybrid working

The role

Reporting to the firm’s Head of Procurement & Finance Operations, this is new role to join an expanding procurement team to support he delivery of the firm’s 2025 strategy to be a leader in client experience. This is a great opportunity to join a high performing team and further your career in an ambitious and growing top 50 national law firm.

The person

You will be a self-motivated and enthusiastic Buyer with experience in purchasing indirect goods and services. Able to communicate and influence colleagues at all levels, your role will be to ensure procurement projects and tasks are delivered which contribute to positive outcomes for the firm and the supply chain, in a timely and efficient manner.

Given the challenges of this role, it is likely that your background and experience will have:

  • Excellent Microsoft Excel skills and a good understanding of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. A working knowledge of ERP / finance / purchase order systems would be advantageous
  • Demonstrable experience that you have worked with suppliers to achieve a good outcome for both parties in a commercial and pragmatic way
  • Flexibility in working outside of contractual hours when necessary to ensure work is completed according to deadlines and to meet the demands of the firm
  • Influencing stakeholders both internally and externally
  • Knowledge of the procurement process (requirements, scoping, sourcing strategy, selection processes, contract drafting)
  • Qualified or willing to work towards MCIPS qualification – the firm will sponsor your study

The role additionally requires someone who:

  • is self-managed and confident in setting and prioritising their own work agenda
  • has excellent written as well as verbal communication skills and so is able to demonstrate that they can convey complex matters in a way that different audiences can understand
  • is confident and able to build sustainable relationships with colleagues and suppliers
  • is organised and methodical in how they approach their work
  • has excellent attention to detail
  • is a team player
  • is willing to take on new responsibilities and challenges

The activities

  • Work with support functions to initiate and deliver procurement projects in compliance with the Procurement Policy, developing purchasing milestone plans and leading commercial negotiations
  • Lead procurement projects to ensure that there is an audit trail for the selection and appointment of suppliers
  • Ensure timely renewal or competition of existing contracts and requirements that provide best value to the firm by working with the support functions
  • Identify new cost reduction opportunities and lead projects where necessary to facilitate their delivery
  • Drafting of RFx and supplier selection
  • Attend and lead where necessary supplier business review meetings
  • Drive improvement plans with poor performing suppliers
  • Develop efficient buying routes for high transaction spend
  • Monitor adherence to the firm’s Procurement Policy, working with colleagues to maintain ISO, SRA and other industry standards certifications and regulations, reporting non-compliance as necessary
  • Manage Supplier Contracts Database & Supplier Portal

Pre-employment screening

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to access your character and suitability.

Disclosure and barring service check

This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

The Mills & Reeve Business Services career structure

We have a firm wide Business Services career structure and a published career progression framework.  Within the firm wide career structure there are five career levels.  For the purposes of the framework, this role is at an Assistant level and the role profile that details the outcomes and activities expected of across the firm is included with this job description.  Further information on the firm’s Business Services career structure is available from the HR team.

The package

As you would expect, the firm offers a generous salary and benefits.  The firm’s standard benefits are detailed in the following link:

https://www.mills-reeve.com/careers/benefits

The firm

What really sets Mills & Reeve apart from other law firms is the way we work with our clients. We understand that clients, in the 21st century, no longer want a traditional law firm – they want one that embraces forward thinking approaches to service, billing, commercial know-how, innovation, people management and community engagement.

And finally

Mills & Reeve is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment. We are happy to consider flexible working arrangements and endeavour to achieve the right balance for both our people and the business. This attitude to flexible working ensures we continue to provide outstanding service to our clients, whilst allowing our people to develop their careers in the knowledge that personal priorities will remain just that.

Mills & Reeve is committed to promoting equality, diversity and to providing an inclusive and supportive environment. Please click the link below to find further information regarding our diversity policy.

https://www.mills-reeve.com/about-us/diversity-and-inclusion

If you would like any more information about Mills & Reeve, you can visit our website by clicking on the following link:

http://www.mills-reeve.com/