"Salary - Competitive Salary
Work Type - Hybrid
Job Location - Lingley Mere (UU), Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP
Role Type - Permanent
Employment Type - Full Time
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week

United Utilities' (UU) purpose is to deliver great water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society.

We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.

We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.

We've got a lot to offer. You'll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution."

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
• Up to 10.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
• MyGymDiscounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
• Best Doctors
• Salary Finance
• Wealth at Work courses
• Deals and discounts
• EVolve Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Mental health first aiders
• ShareBuy
• MORE Choices flexible benefits
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

To support and manage the successful delivery of United Utilities operational needs and working with stakeholders to provide a professional commercial service encompassing one or more of the core areas of procurement and contract management.

The service is to be undertaken in accordance with high professional standards and business principles in compliance with regulatory and company procedures and policies.

• To understand and support the operational business with the development of procurement plans across categories to support the Commercial Indirects Team with deliverable opportunities.
• Understanding of spend across multi-functional business areas and organisation boundaries ensuring optimum value for money for UU.
• Engage with stakeholders to support and develop a future programme of procurement activities and manage the alignment of business strategy and policy to deliver plans across the Asset Management Period (AMP).
• Support the Partner Management &Integrated Operations (PM&IO) Commercial and Framework.
• Management of teams with compliance and proactively managing supplier performance.
• Support the delivery of innovation and cost reduction to the business ensuring cross utilisation of knowledge and deployment across the business areas ensuring best practice commercial terms demand challenges; process efficiency/compliance.
• Manage conflicting business priorities.
• Develop, promote and maintain processes to manage several coordination activities to support procurement pipeline reporting.
• To manage large quantities of data and turn this into information and reports to be used by the operations business areas.
• Ensure compliance with appropriate governance and statutory approvals
• Chair progress meetings with stakeholders.
• Provide support and timely escalations to the Commercial and Framework leads.
• Proactively support the management and mitigation of commercial risks.
• Provide commercial expertise and guidance. Ensure collaborative working across the operational and commercial directorate.
• Work collaboratively with the Commercial Indirects team, to ensure delivery of compliant procurement.
• Produce and maintain quality operational data/dashboards.

Support the development and maintenance of:

• Business needs and opportunity analysis
• Contract strategies
• Support with the evaluation to award as required

• Preferably degree educated, with relevant post-graduate qualification (e.g. CIPS, RICS, MBA, MSC)
• Procurement experience, to include supplier management/collaboration Experience of driving value
• Knowledge of key supplier management / collaboration processes, tools and methodologies
• Experience with negotiation, relationship development, and dispute resolution
• Politically aware, with the proven ability to use direct and indirect influencing strategies
• Demonstrable level of problem-solving experience
• Completer finisher mindset
• Self-motivated individual who is comfortable working alongside senior managers
• Reactive and proactive work requests
• Flexibility and adaptability to respond to unexpected requests or changing priorities
• Project management experience
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders
• Experience of working collaboratively with the business to support commercial proposals
• Knowledge of Regulated procurement and contract law

Essential Qualifications

• Preferably degree educated, with relevant post-graduate qualification (e.g. CIPS, RICS, MBA, MSC)

We rely on every employee to ensure our customers receive the best possible service, day in, day out. In return, we ensure that you will be well rewarded for your efforts, from an excellent salary through to development opportunities that will really kick start a thriving career here at UU.