Bids and Project Buyer in Bournemouth

We are looking for a Bids and Project Buyer to join our Christchurch, UK Team! As a Bids and Projects Buyer for our Christchurch location, you will work in partnership with the proposals, purchasing and engineering team to prepare accurate costed BOMs to support bids as well as supporting Project Management/Purchasing manager on the coordination and delivery of specific projects. You will build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to enable you to deliver timely support to these key processes.

This role requires a dynamic and energetic Buyer. You will be operating in a fast-paced environment and shall be capable of being flexible in managing and prioritising several task/bids/projects. A highly varied role where negotiation and influencing skills will be utilised. The role also requires an individual who can span both day to day operational demands and strategic supply chain activities.

Your Challenge

• Effectively coordinate activities to obtain costs (either directly with suppliers or via purchasing team members) to enable timely and competitive material costings to support accurate bids.
• Build production relationships with stakeholders to achieve your objectives.
• With a full understanding of our supplier capabilities, issue Requests for Quotations in line with business demand for current or new business opportunities.
• Work to and define new processes to ensure predictable, competitive and repeatable outcomes.
• Purchase components as required and directed in line with requirements generated via the MRP system/project management, ensuring OTIF requirements are achieved.
• Review requirements and make informed decisions from outcome. This will include the push out and pull in of demand.
• Undertake operational tasks as required e.g. proactively expedite orders to ensure there is no impact to operational and end customer demand.
• Conduct supplier negotiations for both current and new business.
• Ensure all purchasing activities are completed in a controlled and professional manner in line with the demands of the business.
• Support the development of suppliers in line with the needs of the business with specific focus on Growth and Innovation.
• Perform other such duties commensurate with the nature and level of the post as may be reasonably required.
• Support the Purchasing Manager with the selection and development of preferred suppliers and collaborative partnerships.
• Interface with other departments to resolve problems.

What You Bring:

Essential

• Experience in a purchasing role.
• Specific experience purchasing electronic components, printed circuit board assemblies, machining & fabrication.
• Understanding of BOMs (Bills of Materials), how they are formatted. Ability to manipulate BOM data in line with the task at hand.
• Ability to read engineering drawings to obtain info to select the appropriate potential supply sources.
• Computer literate with strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Working knowledge of MRP systems.
• Diligent and well organised.
• Good negotiation skills.

Desirable

• Experience of working on bids and/or projects in fast paced environment.
• Experience of working in the Aerospace industry.
• Formal Purchasing qualifications/training and/or willingness to learn.
• Degree in a business related topic (engineering, business etc).

Curtiss-Wright's Defense Solution division is a trusted, proven leader, delivering superior products and services that meet the defense and aerospace industries' toughest challenges with best-in-class value.