Technical Buyer in London

Are you keen to contribute to supplier development, operational improvement, and the wider growth of the business in our regulated, fast-paced environment? This role leads procurement and technical buying for our ship repair, marine engineering, and defence/commercial fabrication projects at Balaena Tyne. You will be responsible for end-to-end supply chain performance, sourcing technically specified materials and components, and supporting urgent, project-critical requirements.

With a combined workforce of over 2,000 employees and operations spanning Gibraltar, Padstow, Tyne, Birkenhead, and Falmouth, Balaena is one of the UK's most dynamic and regionally anchored maritime groups - combining industrial agility, innovation, and community partnership to support national resilience, commercial competitiveness, and sustainability across both naval and merchant ship sectors.

The integration of Balaena's modern facilities in Gibraltar and Padstow with APCL's infrastructure on Tyne, Birkenhead, and Falmouth creates one of the world's most capable ship repair and shipbuilding groups - with a network of 12 dry docks and strategic reach across the UK and the Mediterranean. We respond quickly to defence and commercial requirements and deliver consistent quality and reliability to clients worldwide.

Using in-house capabilities to maintain tight project control, we work closely together with our customers to deliver what they need, as they need it, when they need it.

And what will you do?

• Lead procurement and technical buying activities to support ship repair, marine engineering, and fabrication projects.
• Source technically specified materials, components, and services from approved suppliers in line with project requirements.
• Interpret drawings, specifications, and bills of materials to ensure accurate purchasing decisions.
• Manage urgent and reactive purchasing needs to minimise operational delays and vessel downtime.
• Build strong supplier relationships, negotiate commercial terms, and monitor supplier performance on cost, quality, and delivery.
• Support procurement strategy, cost reduction, supplier rationalisation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate with engineering, production, project, and commercial teams to align supply chain activity with operational priorities.
• Maintain compliance with internal procedures and relevant regulatory, defence, and certification requirements.
• Ensure procurement records, traceability, and supporting documentation are accurate and audit-ready.
• Contribute to inventory, logistics, and material availability planning to meet project schedules.
• Identify and mitigate supply risks, including alternative sourcing for critical or long-lead items.
• Lead and develop the procurement function, setting clear expectations and promoting a proactive, solutions-focused approach.

And what are we looking for?

• Procurement experience in heavy engineering or similar sectors.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and specifications.
• Experience sourcing technical and engineered components.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Experience in fast-paced, project-led environments.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and procurement processes.
• If you have completed CIPS Level 5/6 or equivalent that would be great.
• Experience supporting MOD or defence contracts and an understanding of certification and traceability in marine or defence sectors would be even greater.
• Knowledge of class societies such as Lloyds Register or DNV would be amazing!

Why join us?

• Personal Growth: This is an opportunity to make a significant impact while working with and learning from a team of experts from the marine and structural engineering industries.
• Financial Security: Important benefits like your Pension which includes a monthly employer contribution up to 4% and Life cover at 7 x your basic salary is part of your package.
• Healthy Living: We support healthy living and provide help when it's needed. To ensure that you are able to take time off when you need it, we offer sick pay and to cover everyday health we have a health cash plan, which gives you access to money back on everyday healthcare costs. Your dental, optical and physiotherapy as well as wellness services including counselling sessions, digital mental health support, 24/7 virtual GP, and an EAP are included.
• Work-life Balance: We offer 25 days of annual leave per year plus.