Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.

We’re looking for a Procurement Partner to join our team and help us build innovative, resilient, and value-driven supplier partnerships.

This role is key in shaping and delivering the Procurement strategy for allocated categories (Lab Automation and Sequencing Library Preparation), in collaboration with key stakeholders and the broader Institute community.

About The Role

As a Procurement Partner, you’ll be a trusted advisor to stakeholders across the Institute. Combining market knowledge, commercial insight, and strategic thinking, you’ll influence outcomes and deliver best value.

You’ll work closely with stakeholders to understand their needs and be aware of a fast-moving marketplace, identifying both opportunities and risks. Building and maintaining supplier relationships will be central to your success, ensuring we create partnerships that drive innovation, resilience, and value for our science.

You will also play a key role in developing commercial partnerships that enhance collaboration with industry, strengthen our supplier ecosystem, and unlock new opportunities for the Institute

In This Strategic Role You Will

Develop, own and deliver category strategies for your allocated areas.
Provide market intelligence and commercial analysis to inform decision-making.
Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, fostering collaboration and innovation.
Lead sourcing projects and complex supplier negotiations, ensuring best value and risk management.
Act as a strategic partner to stakeholders, influencing plans and priorities at senior level.
Contribute to the leadership of the Procurement function, including line managing Category Buyer(s) as appropriate.
Continuously improve ways of working, embedding governance, efficiency, and pragmatic solutions.

About You

You will be an experienced procurement professional with strong category management expertise and the ability to engage confidently with stakeholders of all levels. With a natural ability to connect market insight to organisational strategy, you will combine commercial acumen with excellent communication skills and a proactive, solutions-focused approach.

Essential Skills

Proven track record in procurement/category management, ideally in scientific or technical categories.
Ability to develop strong market knowledge and turn insight into strategy.
Experienced in supplier relationship management, with a focus on collaboration and value creation.
Expert negotiator, able to manage complex commercial discussions.
Ability to analyse data, extract insight, and communicate recommendations effectively.
Proven organisational skills, able to manage multiple projects and priorities.
Knowledge of contractual terms and ability to manage commercial risks.
Self-motivated, adaptable, and confident working in a dynamic environment.
Strong and collaborative working relationships with relevant stakeholders and project team members
Solution and output orientated with a willingness to take on challenges
Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills

About Us

At the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Procurement plays a critical role in enabling world-leading science. We manage a diverse and complex supplier base, ensuring resilience, value, and innovation across a wide range of categories.

Our focus is on building strategic partnerships and applying market insight to anticipate risks, unlock opportunities, and deliver solutions that support our scientific mission. We go beyond cost savings – shaping categories, strengthening supplier relationships, and providing the commercial expertise that helps turn pioneering research into reality.

Other Information

Salary in the region of £54,000 to £58,000
Hybrid working

Application Process

Please include a covering letter alongside your CV that details how your skills and experience meet the essential skills described.
Closing date for applications: 26th October

Hybrid Working At Wellcome Sanger

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work-life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity And Inclusion

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.

We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That’s why we’re committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Our Benefits

We are proud to deliver an awarding campus-wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work-related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute.

Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative In March 2018. The Technician Commitment aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.

Procurement Partner

Job Type