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Job overview

The role of an Assistant Buyer is to ensure that an effective and efficient procurement service is provided to all end-users, making sure that all orders are processed correctly and assist with identifying usage trends that could lead to process improvements and achieve cost savings.

Assistant Buyers are required to act as an ambassador for the department, assist in influencing end user’s choice of products and make sure all queries and complaints are dealt with in a professional and positive manner.

The post holder will be a member of the P2P team and will be required to adopt a flexible attitude. 

Balanced against the need to remain cost effective, the primary responsibility is to provide a strong and effective professional service leading to the achievement of agreed targets, efficiencies and added value initiatives.

Main duties of the job

• Ensure that goods and services are purchased through correct catalogues and national, regional and local contracts.
• Provide procurement advice which will include: product information, sourcing and legal requirements surrounding procurement.
• Identify key suppliers/products that are not subject to or compliant with existing contracts and make recommendations to either identify alternative suppliers/products available on existing contracts.
• To have a detailed understanding of the governance and Procurement processes to ensure all requisitions and orders comply with the organisations’ policies.
• Day to day duties will involve processing orders, handling queries and any ad-hoc duties as required within agreed procurement department timescales.
• To work closely with organisations’ departments in regard to invoice queries and supplier account management.
• Responding to internal/external queries within a timely manner.
• Liaising with internal/external stakeholders to ensure the correct information is obtained to support procurement processes.
• Provide training and re-assurance to staff on the correct usage of the e-procurement systems.
• To present the procurement function as a progressive, proactive, responsive and innovative department.
• Ensure that an effective and efficient procurement service is provided to all end-users.
• To work closely with the organisations’ logistics team and provide assistance in Materials Management and Receipt & Distribution duties if and when required.

Working for our organisation

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only NHS trust to hold dual accreditation for the Investors in People. We invest in people and we invest in wellbeing standards and have been awarded Gold status for both. The Walton Centre is a leader in the treatment and care of neurology and neurosurgery, placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. As the only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services we are proud to be rated as an Outstanding Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and champion change throughout the field of neuroscience. Originally formed in 1992, the Trust received Foundation Trust status in 2009.

With around 1,450 staff, The Walton Centre treats more than 127,000 outpatients and 18,000 inpatients each year. We have leading specialists and incredibly dedicated staff delivering excellent clinical outcomes for brain, spinal and neurological care nationally and internationally. Teams across our site in Fazakerley, Liverpool, offer a world-class service in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses affecting the brain, spine and peripheral nerves and muscles, and in supporting people suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.