Sourcing Manager, Discovery-HP Consumables in Southampton

BAT is evolving at pace into a global multi-category business. Our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by Building a Smokeless World. To achieve our ambition, we are looking for colleagues who are ready to join us on this journey! Tomorrow can’t wait, let’s shape it together!

What are the key objectives and expectations from this role?

The Sourcing Manager, Discovery – Heated Products Consumables will support the delivery of the global Discovery Procurement agenda for Heated Products consumables, with a strong focus on supplier scouting, early-stage sourcing, commercial evaluation, supplier engagement, innovation event support, and cross-functional execution with R&D, Operations, Finance, Patents and Legal. The role will report to the Global Sourcing Manager, and operate under the wider leadership direction of Discovery Procurement NC Head.

The purpose of the role is to strengthen execution capacity across the consumable innovation pipeline by supporting supplier discovery, supplier evaluation, RFI/RFP activity, commercial analysis, contracting coordination, and procurement governance for new consumable technologies. The role will work closely with Research & Development to translate technical requirements into supplier-facing sourcing briefs, support supplier capability assessments, coordinate supplier inputs, and help ensure early-stage innovation opportunities are commercially robust, compliant, and aligned with procurement strategy.

A key part of the role will be to support the planning and execution of Delta Tech and other supplier innovation events for Heated Products consumables. This will include supporting supplier identification, supplier invitations, technical briefing preparation, confidentiality and governance readiness, sample and demonstration coordination, partner alignment, event logistics, supplier evaluation outputs, and the conversion of event outcomes into clear procurement actions.

The role requires a strong procurement foundation, technical curiosity, commercial awareness, excellent partner coordination, and the ability to operate in an innovation environment where requirements may evolve quickly.

What is the direct impact of this role on the team or organization?

This role will provide additional execution capacity and structure to the Discovery Procurement team, enabling faster supplier discovery, more principled supplier evaluation, stronger commercial analysis, and improved support to R&D-led consumable innovation projects. The role will directly support the Heated Products consumable innovation pipeline by ensuring that supplier engagement is handled in a structured, compliant, and commercially informed way. It will also help improve the quality and speed of procurement support for Delta Tech events, supplier demonstrations, proof-of-concept activities, and early-stage technology assessments. By owning key coordination and analysis activities, the role will allow the Global Sourcing Manager to focus more time on strategic supplier negotiations, senior partner alignment, category innovation strategy, commercial decision-making, and issue management.

Accountabilities:

• Support the delivery of the Discovery Procurement agenda for Heated Products consumables, ensuring sourcing activity is aligned with R&D priorities, category strategy, innovation requirements, and procurement governance.
• Partner closely with Research & Development to understand consumable technology requirements and translate them into supplier-facing briefs, sourcing requirements, evaluation criteria, and procurement work plans.
• Support supplier discovery, scouting, and market mapping to identify existing and new suppliers capable of delivering innovative consumable materials, components, technologies, or manufacturing capabilities.
• Coordinate and support RFI/RFP activity, including supplier briefing, information gathering, supplier response comparison, commercial analysis, and preparation of recommendation materials.
• Support supplier evaluation and selection, ensuring commercial, technical, quality, regulatory, intellectual property, compliance, and risk considerations are captured and advanced appropriately.
• Act as the procurement coordination point for consumable-related Delta Tech activities, working with R&D, Innovation & Foresights, Product Development, Legal, Patents, Quality, Regulatory, Finance, and suppliers to ensure events are prepared and accomplished effectively.
• Translate Delta Tech event outcomes into clear procurement actions, including supplier shortlisting, follow-up RFIs/RFPs, proof-of-concept sourcing, development agreement support, cost modelling, supplier risk assessment, and next-step recommendations.
• Support commercial analysis and cost modelling, including development cost review, cost-driver assessment, benchmark comparison, quotation analysis, and preparation of supplier challenge points.
• Support contract process coordination for early-stage supplier engagement, including confidentiality agreements, evaluation agreements, joint development agreements, project briefs, and other procurement-related documentation in partnership with Legal and the Global Sourcing Manager.
• Maintain strong project governance and tracking rigor, including action logs, supplier status updates, event readiness trackers, opportunity pipelines, risk registers, procurement dashboards, and achievement reporting.
• Build effective supplier relationships with start-ups, scale-ups, strategic partners, technology providers, material suppliers, component suppliers, and established manufacturing partners.
• Provide market and technology insight by supervising supplier capabilities, competitor activity, emerging consumable technologies, material trends, manufacturing developments, and relevant external innovation signals.
• Support supplier innovation pipeline management by supervising technology opportunities, supplier maturity, commercial readiness, intellectual property considerations, development risks, and procurement actions required to advance promising opportunities.
• Work with Procurement Centre of Excellence teams to ensure sourcing approaches, supplier recommendations, commercial strategies, and governance requirements are aligned with category priorities and business objectives.

Experience, skills, knowledge:

ESSENTIAL Experience Required:

• Experience in procurement, sourcing, supplier management, commercial analysis, category support, supply chain, or innovation project support within a global or regional business environment.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams, ideally including Research & Development, product development, legal, patents, finance, quality, regulatory, or technical partners.
• Exposure to supplier scouting, supplier evaluation, RFI/RFP processes, quotation analysis, negotiation preparation, contract coordination, or supplier onboarding.
• Experience supporting sophisticated projects with multiple partners, evolving requirements, technical ambiguity, and time-sensitive delivery expectations.
• Experience preparing clear commercial analysis, supplier comparisons, recommendation papers, project updates, meeting notes, or presentation materials for management partners.
• Understanding of procurement governance, supplier risk, confidentiality requirements, compliance expectations, and early-stage supplier engagement processes.
• Exposure to innovation sourcing, new product development, technology evaluation, supplier-led innovation, or proof-of-concept activity would be valuable.
• Experience coordinating workshops, supplier events, technical demonstrations, innovation forums, or cross-functional project meetings would be advantageous.

Technical / Functional / Leadership Skills Required:

• Strong procurement and sourcing fundamentals, with the ability to apply structured sourcing rigor in innovation, discovery, and early-stage project environments.
• High technical curiosity and willingness to understand Heated Products consumable technologies, materials, specifications, product performance requirements, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong analytical capability, including the ability to compare supplier proposals, assess cost drivers, consolidate technical and commercial inputs, and identify business implications.
• Excellent partner leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively with R&D, procurement, legal, patents, finance, quality, regulatory, and supplier teams.
• Strong project coordination skills, including action tracking, event planning, governance management, achievement follow-up, and reporting.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to simplify technical and commercial information into clear summaries, recommendations, and decision points.
• Good negotiation support capability, including preparation of supplier challenge points, commercial analysis, cost breakdowns, and supporting materials for supplier discussions.
• Ability to operate with ambiguity and structure emerging requirements into practical supplier engagement plans, event plans, and procurement workstreams.
• Strong attention to detail, particularly in supplier documentation, event readiness, contract coordination, commercial analysis, and governance tracking.
• Collaborative working style with the confidence to challenge constructively, advance risks, and support fact-based decision-making.

Education / Qualifications / Certifications Required:

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience in procurement, supply chain, business, engineering, science, materials, technology, or a related field.
• Procurement, supply chain, commercial, project management, or technical qualification would be advantageous, including CIPS or equivalent.

Beneficial:

• Experience in Heated Products, New Categories, consumer goods, tobacco or nicotine products, electronics, materials, packaging, or regulated product environments.
• Exposure to supplier innovation, product development governance, intellectual property considerations, joint development projects, technology scouting, or proof-of-concept delivery.
• Experience working with technical suppliers, start-ups, scale-ups, Asian supply markets, global manufacturing partners, or external innovation ecosystems.

Collaboration, diversity and teamwork underpin everything we do here at BAT. We know that collaborating with colleagues from different backgrounds is what makes us stronger and best prepared to meet our business goals. Come bring your difference!

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation!

What we offer you?

We offer a market leading annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility). Our range of benefits varies by country and includes diverse health plans, initiatives for work-life balance, transportation support, and a flexible holiday plan with additional incentives. Your journey with us isn't limited by boundaries; it's propelled by your aspirations. Join us at BAT and become a part of an environment that thrives on internal advancement, where your career progression isn't just a statement – it's a reality we're eager to build together. Seize the opportunity and own your development; your next chapter starts here. You'll have access to online learning platforms and personalized growth programs to nurture your leadership skills. We prioritise continuous improvement within a transformative environment, preparing for ongoing changes.

WHY JOIN BAT? We’re one of the few companies named as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute – certified in offering excellent employee conditions. At BAT, we champion collaboration, inclusion, and partnership as the bedrock of our values. We wish to foster an environment where every individual can thrive, irrespective of factors such as gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, skills, experience, education, socio-economic and professional background, as well as diverse perspectives and thinking styles. We recognise that our strength lies in embracing talent from all walks of life, empowering us to develop our culture of inclusivity and better achieve our business objectives. We view career breaks not as obstacles but as opportunities and encourage everyone, without hesitation, to apply. Through our Global Returners program, we provide support to professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce after an extended absence, be it for family care, parental leave, national service, sabbatical, or starting their own venture. Come bring your difference and see what is possible for you at BAT. Learn more about our culture and our award winning employee experience here. We take pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any reasonable adjustments or accommodations to be made during the recruitment process to support you performing at your best, please inform the recruitment partner who will be in touch should your profile be selected for the role you applied for. We are wholeheartedly committed to optimising your prospects of success by making suitable arrangements so that you may showcase your full potential.