Description
As Sourcing Team Manager, you’ll lead and develop the team of Buyers and Assistant Buyers, ensuring sourcing activity is effectively prioritised, resourced and delivered across the Bupa Global and UK Market Unit.
The role manages demand and allocates resources across category towers according to business priority and available capacity. It oversees sourcing activity typically valued under £500,000, including competitive tendering, negotiation, contracting, internal stakeholder management and activity that may carry significant commercial, operational or supplier risk.
Leadership and People Management – lead, coach and develop Buyers and Assistant Buyers; set clear objectives and role accountabilities; manage performance, wellbeing, absence, recruitment, onboarding, succession and capability development; and establish effective team ways of working.
Demand, Capacity and Delivery Management – maintain a consolidated sourcing pipeline; allocate and reallocate work across category towers; review demand against capacity; monitor contract expiries, milestones, ageing and delivery risks; and ensure priorities are progressed efficiently.
Commercial and Sourcing Oversight – assure the quality of sourcing strategies, tendering, evaluation, negotiation and contracting; support delivery of validated value and savings; act as the escalation point for complex activity; and intervene directly where commercial leadership is required.
Governance, Risk and Compliance – ensure the team follows the six-step procurement process, relevant systems and approval requirements, supplier segmentation and due diligence, SARF governance, Delegation of Authority, contract approval and signature controls, and benefit-reporting requirements; escalate late engagement and non-compliance appropriately.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead, coach, motivate and develop the team, creating clear accountability and a high-performance culture.
- Provide structured training, coaching, quality assurance and knowledge transfer so team members can fulfil their roles effectively.
- Maintain the team sourcing pipeline and align delivery to category plans, savings opportunities and business priorities.
- Agree sourcing priorities with category leads and business stakeholders, based on value, risk, business need and available capacity.
- Follow and support category risk plans in agreement with Procurement Towers and Bupa’s risk management policies and procedures to mitigate Bupa's exposure to supply chain risks within the categories under management.
- Oversee the active timeline for sourcing initiatives
- Lead and support the Buyers and Assistant Buyers where they lead contract negotiations on behalf of the Category Manager.
- Act as an escalation point for Buyers and Assistant Buyers and where appropriate directing their activities with assistance from the Head of Procurement or Category Manager as needed.
- Lead and support the Buyers and Assistant Buyers to develops innovative solutions by challenging the status quo and business requirements.
- Interfacing with internal customers to ensure requirements are delivered, performance tracked and operational efficiencies are maximised.
- Participates in team and department meetings and events and is responsible for communicating and advocating procurement throughout the organisation.
- Maintain personal integrity with regards to commercial confidentiality and conduct supplier relationships with the highest standard of ethical conduct and set and maintain the same expectation for the team of Buyers and Assistant Buyers.
- Creation, monitoring and reporting of appropriate team KPIs.
- Performance management of all team members.
- Identify and propose process and system improvements.
Benefits:
- 25 days holiday, increasing through length of service, with option to buy or sell
- Bupa health insurance as a benefit in kind
- An enhanced pension plan and life insurance
- Onsite gyms or local discounts where no onsite gym available
- Various other benefits and online discounts