Buyer, Engineering

Senior Buyer – Murphy – Ellesmere Port, England, United Kingdom

Murphy is recruiting for a Senior Buyer to join our growing Infrastructure team, delivering a major water infrastructure project in partnership with United Utilities, as part of the AMP8 programme. Murphy is a long‑standing delivery partner to leading water clients across the UK and Ireland, including Thames Water, Severn Trent, Northern Ireland Water, Yorkshire Water, SES Water, Bristol Water, South East Water, and Uisce Éireann, where we operate over 25 facilities under full DBOM contracts.

• Regionally focused procurement specialist who identifies the regional operating unit demand and supply chain capacity.
• Deliver the procurement strategy for projects and the overarching regional strategy, developing the regional supply chain to meet both project‑specific and regional demand.
• Provide market‑standard procurement solutions for the operating unit, demonstrating best overall value for money.
• Lead sub‑contractor and material procurement, covering work‑winning/pre‑construction strategy and construction‑stage procurement.
• Develop and manage the procurement schedule.
• Collaborate with project teams to produce work‑package documents.
• Lead technical and commercial negotiations with the supply chain.
• Prepare and issue sub‑contracts in coordination with project teams, managing NEC4 and Schedule 5 formalities, including execution, bonds and warranties.
• Structure and manage the supply chain, driving improved performance and cost benefits.
• Encourage efficient, productive, and continuously improving supply‑chain performance within the trades.
• Support group procurement functional goals and objectives within the region.

• Experience in a procurement role, preferably within construction or civil engineering.
• Working towards or holding CIPS accreditation is an advantage.
• Previous exposure as a Senior Subcontract Buyer in an engineering or construction environment.
• Successful securing of multiple high‑value NEC contract awards with strong risk management focus.
• Detailed knowledge of construction processes from pre‑construction through construction.
• Working understanding of PMEICA procurement is highly desirable but not essential.

• 27 days holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy an additional 2 days each year; holidays increase with length of service.
• Discretionary annual bonus and annual salary review.
• Above‑market‑rate contributory pension scheme.
• Life assurance, health screening and enhanced sick pay.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay and a maternity return‑ers bonus.
• Extra weeks holiday for employees getting married and a wedding bonus.
• Subsidised canteen facilities at core locations.
• Dedicated and continued investment in professional development.
• Other Murphy benefits: retail discounts and cashback, discounted gym memberships, cycle‑to‑work scheme, etc.

Murphy is formally recognised as a sector‑leading employer, Gold Investors In People accredited, with reported operating profit up 57% on the prior year. We pride ourselves on a diverse workforce, representing over 60 nationalities and a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. With a forward order book of £5.8bn and £23m invested in environmentally friendly plant in 2024, there is truly #Moreto Murphy.

If you are unable to apply via the usual process, please call James Hing on to discuss in more detail.

Murphy is unable to employ anyone who does not have the legal right to live and work in the UK.