At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a procurement team, manage supplier relationships, and drive cost and quality improvements.
- Company: Established manufacturing organisation in a high-performance, regulated environment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to influence procurement strategy.
- Why this job: Make impactful decisions that enhance safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
- Qualifications: Experience in procurement, strong negotiation skills, and leadership capabilities.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with excellent career progression opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced Senior Buyer who enjoys leading teams, building strong supplier relationships and driving cost, quality and delivery improvements? If you thrive in a regulated manufacturing environment and like having real ownership of procurement strategy and performance, this could be an excellent next step.
We’re supporting a well-established manufacturing organisation based in Segensworth, operating in a high-performance, regulated environment. This is a key leadership role within the production and supply chain function, with responsibility for people, suppliers and continuous improvement across site purchasing activities.
What’s the role all about? As the Senior Buyer, you’ll lead and manage the site procurement team, ensuring purchasing activities support operational performance, cost control and business growth. You’ll balance strategic supplier management with hands-on operational control, while promoting a strong continuous improvement culture.
You’ll be responsible for:
- Leading, developing and performance-managing the procurement team
- Owning all site purchasing activity across production and projects
- Managing suppliers, risk and technical purchasing in line with business strategy
- Ensuring demand, inventory and open orders are controlled effectively
- Supporting new product introduction through proactive project purchasing
- Driving cost reduction, lead-time improvement and savings initiatives
- Negotiating contracts, LTAs and improved commercial terms
- Promoting Supplier Relationship Management and mitigating supply chain risk
- Supporting SIOP, MRP adherence and on-time delivery performance
- Preparing and presenting procurement data, KPIs and improvement plans
- Driving lean, continuous improvement and tiered accountability
This is a visible, influential role where your decisions directly impact Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People.
What you’ll need to succeed as a Senior Buyer:
- Experience leading a buying or procurement team in a regulated manufacturing environment
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation capability
- Background in manufacturing procurement (aerospace or high-mix, low-volume ideal)
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems and technical data
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings
- Strong leadership, coaching and change-management skills
- Confidence influencing stakeholders at all levels
- Lean / continuous improvement experience
Essential qualifications:
- CIPS Level 4 (or equivalent experience)
- Degree or equivalent in Engineering, Business or related discipline
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Desirable:
- CIPS Level 5
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher.
Ready to take the next step? If you’re an experienced Senior Buyer looking for a leadership role with influence and progression, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today — or contact me for a confidential discussion.
Locations
Senior Buyer in Fareham, Hampshire employer: Kingdom People - Professional Services
Contact Detail:
Kingdom People - Professional Services Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Buyer in Fareham, Hampshire
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about letting people know you’re on the lookout for a Senior Buyer role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its procurement strategies. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in a regulated manufacturing environment. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! As a Senior Buyer, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to negotiate contracts and improve commercial terms. Role-play scenarios with friends or colleagues to build confidence before those big interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Let’s get you that Senior Buyer position!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Buyer in Fareham, Hampshire
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your leadership experience, procurement achievements, and any relevant qualifications like CIPS or Lean Six Sigma. We want to see how you fit into our vision!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the Senior Buyer role and how your background aligns with our needs. Be sure to mention your experience in regulated environments and your approach to supplier management.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your past roles, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your impact. Whether it's cost reductions, improved delivery times, or successful negotiations, we love to see quantifiable results that highlight your capabilities.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Kingdom People - Professional Services
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of procurement strategies and supplier management. Familiarise yourself with the specific challenges in a regulated manufacturing environment, especially if it’s aerospace or high-mix, low-volume. This will show that you’re not just a fit for the role but genuinely interested in the industry.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led and developed teams in the past. Think about specific situations where you’ve driven continuous improvement or managed change effectively. This is a key part of the Senior Buyer role, so demonstrating your leadership prowess will set you apart.
✨Be Ready to Negotiate
Since negotiation is a big part of this role, come prepared with examples of successful negotiations you've conducted. Highlight your commercial awareness and how you’ve achieved better terms or cost reductions in previous roles. This will illustrate your capability to handle the responsibilities of the position.
✨Prepare Your Data Presentation
You’ll likely need to present procurement data and KPIs during the interview. Prepare a few key metrics from your past experiences that demonstrate your impact on cost control and operational performance. Being able to communicate this clearly will show your analytical skills and readiness for the role.