Job overview
We are seeking a proactive and motivated individual to join our Supply Chain Team. As a Procurement Coordinator at Synnovis, you will be at the centre of our operations, playing a pivotal role in managing purchasing activity across the organisation. You will help maintain a continuous, reliable supply of essential laboratory stock, ensuring that our diagnostic services run smoothly and that patient results are never compromised.
You will take responsibility for the end‑to‑end purchasing cycle for Synnovis, including raising purchase orders, supporting materials planning, analysing purchasing data to identify trends, monitoring stock levels, and responding quickly to supply risks or shortages. You will also use your problem‑solving skills to resolve invoicing discrepancies, support budgeting activities, and contribute to overall process efficiency.
A key part of your role will involve building and maintaining strong relationships with our external suppliers and internal stakeholders across our laboratories and service teams. You will also support the onboarding and training of new system users, helping colleagues across the business to navigate procurement processes confidently and embed best practice across the business.
Main duties of the job
The Procurement Coordinator role is based in the Synnovis Hub in the Purchasing team, part of the wider Procurement team. The role supports the smooth and efficient flow of materials across multiple locations in Synnovis to support laboratory operations. The position Is responsible for weekly material requirements planning (MRP), raising purchase orders, and maintaining accurate material records such as pricing, product data, and reorder points. The role will involve monitoring supplier lead times, planning accordingly, and acting as a primary contact for stock and order related queries from internal teams and suppliers.
The role contributes to data analysis for forecasting, stock accuracy, and compliance, while supporting continuous improvement and looking for opportunities to improve and streamline internal processes. The coordinator will work alongside multiple stakeholders from across the business to ensure accurate and effective inventory management across all sites.
Working for our organisation
Your development and learning
You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Synnovis Way Development programme which is used across Synnovis to enable you to reach your potential, learn new skills and achieve your goals.
This is managed between you and your line manager in line with your own personal and professional development ambitions.
You can apply for finance to drive innovation and service development for the benefit of patients through our Innovation Accelerator Fund.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at one of our hospital sites however, from 1 April 2024 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1, with some work remaining in refurbished essential services laboratories across our hospital network, focusing on the rapid turnover of urgent tests. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.
Purpose of the Job
The Procurement Coordinator is responsible for overall purchasing activities for Synnovis including raising orders through the SAP Inventory Management system and Ariba Buying, purchase order management, liaising with suppliers and internal stakeholders, maintaining accurate material information and pricing, stock inventory processes, invoicing queries relating to purchasing activity, training new users, and assisting with general queries relating to Supply Chain.
What you will do
1. Raise purchase orders on behalf of stakeholders and laboratories
2. Maintain accurate material records including price, pack size, product information, reorder points etc.
3. Monitor lead times and communicating with stakeholders and suppliers to plan accordingly.
4. Support the Purchasing Manager with data analysis of orders, forecasting data, reorder points, and stock accuracy.
5. Identify non-compliances and implement solutions for process changes where necessary.
6. Liaise with Supply Chain Operations Manager and Warehouse Operatives in relation to deliveries and stock transfers between off-site locations
7. Ensure that inventory requirements are accurately met and help implement new systems and processes as required.
8. Ensure system compliance from stakeholders across all sites.
9. Perform regular visits to Synnovis locations for auditing and training.
Collaborate with other functions to appropriately enhance the system functionality.
10. Initial troubleshooting of inventory issues, such as faulty scanners or stock label printers
Key Responsibilities
11. Manage the weekly material requirements planning report (MRP)
12. Serve as the primary contact for queries regarding stock management and orders from stakeholders or suppliers.
13. Assist with invoice issues relating to purchase order discrepancies.
Support in training users for Ariba, Labapp and SAP systems.
14. Other general enquiries and administrative functions as required.
Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South East London.
The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services.
The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers.
The hub is an eight-storey building, and we are working across 10 floors including the ground and lower ground floors. Synnovis’ corporate function operates from the hub on the 8th floor, above the laboratories underneath. This is a total net internal area of almost 10,000m squared across the 10 floors.
Based in Blackfriars, it’s less than a 5 minute walk from Southwark Tube or Blackfriars station and nestled closely to a vast array of entertainment and fabulous places to dine, relax and meet people.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
15. Educated to GCSE level (min.)
16. A good standard of Mathematics and English
Desirable criteria
17. Relevant degree or qualification relating to Supply Chain or Inventory Management
Experience
Essential criteria
18. Previous experience in Supply Chain
19. Comprehensive experience of materials / inventory management
20. Management of multiple stock areas in several locations
21. Previous experiences dealing with suppliers and stakeholders
Desirable criteria
22. Strong understanding of supply chain procedures and systems
23. Previous experience using SAP
24. Previous experience with data analysis and reporting
Skills & Knowledge
Essential criteria
25. Computer literate in the standard suite of Microsoft Office applications (xl, ppt, word)
26. Strong Excel skills
27. Accuracy and attention to detail
28. Problem solving and analytical skills
29. Strong organisational skills
30. Ability to prioritise tasks within own area of work.
31. Efficiency, accuracy, and attention to detail
32. Good communication skills, diplomacy, and team player
33. Ability to work independently and as part of a team without supervision
Desirable criteria
34. Performance and delivery orientated.
35. Ability to use initiative to enhance existing processes
36. Experience with Excel functionality such as Pivot tables and XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
Our Bank workers enjoy competitive market rates and flexible contract assignments across all of our sites, dependent on your availability and location.
For our Permanent workforce we offer a competitive benefits package.
All employees are entitled to:
37. Contributory pension scheme
38. Generous annual leave entitlement
39. Ground breaking development
opportunities
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.