Buyer in Stratford-upon-Avon

Opportunity: Our OEM client based in Gaydon is searching for a Buyer to join their team. This is a maternity cover contract position inside IR35, with a proposed end date of 1 June 2027. The role reports to the Regional Purchasing Manager and focuses on managing the external supply chain from suppliers, ensuring supplier performance meets Quality, Cost, Delivery, Innovation and Sustainability (QCDIS) requirements.

Responsibilities also include post‐sourcing commercial contract and change management activities for designated commodities and suppliers, and interfacing with core functions such as Production Purchasing, Product Engineering, Supplier Technical Assistance (STA), Material Planning and Logistics (MP&L), Cost Estimating, and Manufacturing.

• Cost Management: Ensure effective cost management of particular commodities and suppliers, launching new products at target cost and achieving year‐on‐year cost reduction to deliver savings targets. Resolve in‐contract commercial issues including invoices related to price queries, annual cost reduction, tooling costs, design changes, and all liability claims. Lead negotiations with external suppliers for both current and future products.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Participate in and lead Supplier Business Reviews to develop relationships and ensure performance. Support stakeholder engagement and internal relationship management, acting as the primary interface with Product Engineering for designated commodities/parts to align on quality, cost, delivery, innovation and sustainability requirements. Support Global Strategy Leaders in developing global supplier relationships for the designated commodities. Validate commercial contracts, including core commercial/contractual elements and costs, labour, manning, manufacturing process time, key material flows, information flows, bill of design and bill of process, tooling and location of manufacture, OEE/shift patterns/JPH achievement, capacity flexibility, and risk analysis. Manage supply chain risk post‐SCPA ensuring compliance with customer and government regulations, and maintain data integrity in purchasing systems.
• Other Responsibilities: Contribute to process improvement and share best practices across Regional Purchasing Teams, lead cost‐reduction programmes, manage supplier and supply chain risk, ensure compliance to Way and KWS processes, and undertake any other work directed by the line manager.

• Global Purchasing Finance
• Programme Teams
• STAC
• Cost Engineering
• Product Engineering
• Supplier Base

• Degree qualified or equivalent experience
• Experience delivering complex supply chain solutions in a fast‐paced, high‐pressure manufacturing environment
• Ability to work independently, results‐driven, demonstrating tenacity, drive and perseverance
• Experience implementing and delivering purchasing strategies focused on total value‐chain delivery
• Ability to identify opportunities for creating value in commodities
• Resilient and enthusiastic, responding constructively to new ideas and inputs
• Strong communicator capable of influencing cross‐functional engagement
• Effective team player, actively developing and supporting team members
• Maintaining compliance with standard policies and procedures

• Proven track record delivering results in both favourable and unfavourable conditions
• Ability to challenge positively while building credibility and trust through experience and personal style
• Experience working in a global, multi‐cultural environment

• Works independently, results‐driven, demonstrating tenacity, drive and perseverance
• Capability to combine a short‐term, pragmatic focus with medium‐term planning
• Resilient and enthusiastic, responding constructively to new ideas and inputs
• Good communicator able to convey complex ideas
• Effective team player who actively develops and supports team members

• Ability to challenge existing thinking positively while building credibility and trust through experience and personal style