Supplier Operations Specialist

As a Supplier Operations Specialist in the Supplier Management profession, you will be responsible for onboarding new suppliers to John Lewis in a timely and efficient way to support trading agility to meet customer needs.

Through continuous improvement, you will look for ways to improve processes, driving efficiency and improving the experience for suppliers. You will track supplier performance and ensure data is made available in relevant dashboards/reports.

You will work closely with Trading Teams (Buyers, Merchandisers, Buying Offices) and be expected to communicate effectively with our Suppliers.

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.00 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

• Expected salary - We are looking for candidates up to £30,000 (dependent on experience)

• ​Contract type -  Permanent contract.

• Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team aim for around 1 to 2 days a week in the office, Wednesdays being the core day to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings where needed.

• Location - This role is based at our Pimlico Head Office. 

Key responsibilities 

• Setting up suppliers including creating supplier contracts from templates and responding to contract questions

• Tracking supplier performance

• Reporting on supplier metrics

• Resolving supplier queries

• Deciding the priority order for supplier onboarding

• Deciding of where to focus support based on workload priorities

• Ensuring standardisation and CI are employed to help create efficiency

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• An analytical mindset, with experience of analysing data and using the facts to make recommendations

• Ability to focus on complex documents and attention to detail

• The ability to build strong relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, working collaboratively to benefit the customers and the business

• An understanding of the importance of supporting well informed decisions that support key business objectives

• Experience of working in an agile way, with the ability to work in a high pressured environment and prioritise workloads effectively

• Stakeholder management

• Microsoft suite skills

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• BOXI knowledge

• Legal knowledge or experience

• Using AI to improve efficiencies 

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#LI-HYBRID

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview. 

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