WORK EXPERIENCE
SEPTEMBER 2012 – Present – SIEMENS ENERGY SERVICE RENEWABLES
LEAD PROJECT BUYER
As the Lead Project Buyer for the UK; it is my role within the business to lead various high profile operations for both our on and offshore wind turbines and report directly in to senior management.
I am involved in all aspects of strategic planning for “Round 3”; a major and high profile Energy project which will see a whole range of new wind farms being developed and introduced right across the UK.
As a “world class” graded procurement department; we are constantly striving to find new and innovative ways of delivering supply chain excellence. I am involved in regular vendor reviews; where they are monitored against contract specific KPI’s. I am also involved in a new commodity database function where we are streamlining procedures and documents in order to give a more efficient feel to the businesses supply chain processes. We have introduced a new stringent vendor approval system and I am involved in sourcing new and uniquely skilled offshore vendors and bringing them into the business.
I am highly skilled in putting together service level contracts for a range of services/requirements across the business. My main commodity involves all aspects of offshore marine procurement i.e. chartering vessels and service contracts where my legal background comes in useful (contract law). Some of these vessel charters/service contracts are multi-million pound contracts and have to be managed to a high level of detail in order for the business to meet its service targets in producing yield for our customers.
I oversee our assistant buyers whom deal directly with varying wind farms across the UK. It is our role as a service provider to ensure the requisite contracts are in place for all the service level requirement needs of these wind farms; from hydraulic oil change contractors; Rope access contractors; crew transfer vessels to consumables and PPE.
Part of my role also involves liaising directly with our central hub in Denmark; where all the WTG (wind turbine generators) parts are manufactured and distributed to ensure that there are no WTG’s which are stopped and therefor affecting our customer’s energy delivery for extended time periods.
I am the UK’s direct procurement contact for our “Major Projects” team; who facilitate any heavy lift operations on and offshore throughout the UK. Through effective project management we deliver parts/tools and services to the major projects team and enable them to perform heavy lift operations throughout the UK within short specified timeframes as weather windows are a constant factor in any work which we are able to achieve.
I monitor internal project budget targets and oversee the procurement of project specific assets.
Recently I was heavily involved as part of the project team which introduced the first SOV (specialist offshore vehicle) of its kind to UK waters. This was a high profile and landmark operation which had never before been done within the UK
Key achievements;
Cost savings in excess of £500,000k within first year
I have chartered in excess of ten vessels during my first year substantially adding to the fleet of vessels within the ESSR vessel pool
Introduced the first SOV to ever work within UK waters. This was a high profile project which received national acclaim within the press.
TRENCH UK (part of the SIEMENS GROUP)
BUYER / SENIOR IT’S BUYER
I worked within the Supply Chain for Trench UK (as a buyer to begin with before moving onto the senior IT’s buyer). Gaining the position at Trench UK on the back of my previous experience and cost down results; I have been managing several commodities across our Instrument Transformer Dept, OHL and Bushings. Trench UK; has in its recent history been booming in terms of order intake, turnover, profitability etc. I came into the company target driven and within my first year I again achieved great cost saving results across many of my commodities including fabrications, rubber/cork, copper, stainless steel fittings etc. I have begun to source globally for the company and have set up a sourcing project to buy cast iron fittings from India providing a huge cost saving to Trench UK and the copper supplier whom I brought into the company proved to be the most competitive in a global Siemens RFQ exercise.
Due to previous experience; I also deal with Trench China and source on their behalf across numerous commodities. Again; in doing so I have attained large cost savings on behalf of Trench China by sourcing alternative products of equal quality at reduced costs. Last year I put in a new supply chain for our plant in Shenyang so that they could source individually throughout Europe upon the closure of Trench.
Working for Siemens I am used to performing against several KPI’s set against us a purchasing team such as managing our inventory, severe cost down targets, purchasing efficiencies, quality, on time delivery (products coming in and going out), logistics etc.
Due to my law background; I have a good understanding of contracts and have prepared several SLA documents.
Key achievements;
Cost savings in excess of £200,000k
Setting up new supply base (including supply base on behalf of Trench China).
Setting up & maintaining SLA’s / KPI’s (including a huge improvement to the on time delivery off certain products, inventory reduction, efficiencies etc)
Alongside my role as SENIOR IT’s BUYER; for several months I acted as the SALES MANAGER for Instrument Transformers’ and project managed the whole IT’s department.
Alongside my purchasing duties detailed below; I had to manage key customer accounts/relationships between TUK and its global client base including key customer accounts such as; The National Grid, Alstom Grid (formerly Areva), Hyundai, Hyosung, ZTR & our other worldwide Trench facilities etc. My target was to gain market intelligence and develop marketing plans in support of profitable Business growth.
I assisted customers in the definition and selection of suitable bushing designs and on receipt of orders communicate this information throughout the business in a clear and concise manner. I Prepared quotations with the co-operation of Tendering Engineers in response to customer enquiries.
I traveled to meet various customers throughout the UK.
Key achievements;
Securing several large value contracts with major clients
Assisting in the reduction of our quotation turn around processes.
Providing a first rate service to key customers and continuing to grow our existing and new customer base.
December 06 to July 08 – THE TANFIELD GROUP – UPRIGHT POWERED ACCESS
BUYER / STRATEGIC COST DOWN BUYER
Originally; working as a buyer for Upright Powered Access, part of the Tanfield Group plc, a major international OEM and market leader in the Arial Platform Access Division; It was my responsibility to ensure the supply and purchase off commodity based production parts to support what is a large and growing order book. My commodities included hydraulics, fabrications, batteries, wheels & Tyres and automotive parts; from what was a worldwide supply base. To ensure the plant production targets are met I attended a daily production meeting to discuss head on any potential problems. I am used to facing mixed supply and demand problems; therefore being flexible to react is a pivotal point within my role, as well as the strategic planning needed to meet our customer demand. I have worked closely with production, logistics and warehousing on many day to day issues and stock control is another important part of my current role. At Tanfield we use the Avante computer system, as well as the use off Microsoft excel as a reporting tool.
My role at Tanfield then changed due to my excellent results in terms of cost down opportunities and I was allocated a position within a three man cost down team, tasked specifically with driving down the material costs of our product range. This role involved working closely with our engineering team, our incumbent supply base as well as sourcing new suppliers globally and ensuring the best quality product at the lowest possible costs. I worked closely during this time with China and set up the outsourcing of many fabricated parts to a company in China. We were very successful in this area and I was responsible for many large cost saving exercises. This was a role which I enjoyed and I feel it is an area which I am very competent in.
Key achievements;
Cost savings in excess of £200,000k
Being assigned to the strategic cost down team
Assisting production via management off the supply chain in manufacturing 150+ vehicles per week from a figure of 15 per week.
April/2005 to Dec 06 – SIG COMBIBLOC
Materials Planner / Supply Chain Management Graduate Scheme
Working within the supply chain for a major International company, it was my job to supply the site with the raw laminate material which was used everyday in production. This was done with the use of SAP, Microsoft Excel, sales forecasts from the customers etc. in order to produce a laminate forecast each month. This forecast is used to plan 3 months ahead at any given period how much material is required to meet supply and demand from all over the world. I am in constant contact with colleagues all over the world, particularly Germany where I have spent time on business. I am responsible for all of the laminate on site, raising any potential concessions with board issues that may arise, arranging transport for laminate, analysing data, producing reports and making sure that there are no laminate issues which might have an adverse effect upon the supply chain as a whole.
SKILLS
Negotiation: I feel that working within both Sales and Supply Chain; negotiation skills are key and paramount to the successes and labours of the environment. I feel that through experience and my CIPS education I have built up a good set of negotiating skills which have delivered excellent results.
Managing KPI’s; Whilst working for the several major OEM’s in my career thus far I have become very aware of the importance of working against and the setting up of key performance indicators within both the Sales and Supply Chain environments. These KPI’s define a set of values used to measure the efficiency of the performance of not only the company but also the individuals.
SLA’s/Contracts: I have become skilled in the setting up and maintenance off service level agreements and contracts.
Teamwork: Being able to function as part of a team is something I enjoy as I feel that building relationships is a major strength of mine. I am used to dealing with colleagues from different departments as well as customers and suppliers across the globe; therefore managing different cultures and customs of working is something I am confident with.. I am also confident enough to work on my own using my own initiative.
Communication: I feel that I have first class communication skills. Whether it be face to face with customers/suppliers/ colleagues or during presentations, production meetings and so forth; I feel I am always able to get across my points clearly and concisely. With having worked with many customers and suppliers from different countries I am able to communicate well across cultural barriers.
I.T Skills: I have good I.T. skills and have now worked with many differing computer systems (SAP/Avante/Great Plains). I am competent using the internet as a research tool, e-mail etc. I have completed numerous Excel courses up to intermediate level.
Higher Education:
Start date:10/2001-Completion date:08/2004
Northumbria
L.L.B/Honours
Law 2:2
During my three year Law degree at Northumbria University I studied a wide range of subjects, from topics such as contract, employment, property, public and environmental law to the more professional side of civil and criminal litigation. I gained knowledge on the English Legal system as a whole, learning how the judiciary system works and learned about the different powers and structure that the courts themselves hold. We also looked at European Law, involving the European Union; the Human Rights Act 1998(HRA) and our convention rights made enforceable by the HRA 1998.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – Qualifications
CIPS level 4 qualification
Fully trained fire warden
