Procurement Engineer in Oxford

Rubicon Consulting is currently recruiting for a Procurement Engineer on a 12 Month Contract, based in Oxford.

Role Summary

As part of our team, the position offers the right person the autonomy to use their expertise in driving the strategic sourcing direction to ensure that the supply chain is robust and capable of delivering components both competitively and consistently. The position is responsible for collaborating with suppliers globally ensuring design for manufacture and design to cost targets are met, prior to purchasing the newly designed components. Day to day you will be part of our team where best practice sharing and support is the norm. Our working location and working times are flexible depending on where a team member can be most effective. The working location follows the activity and with the use of our digital tools we maximise our contact with our colleagues and suppliers; however, essential travel is still expected as part of the role and would include both European and international travel.

The breadth of commodities related to the role requires the person to have broad knowledge of different manufacturing methods and offers you the chance to gain a broad understanding of key components related to the superconducting magnet of an MRI system, such as fabricated assemblies relating to cryogenic vessels, composite structures, cable assemblies and machined parts supplied as part of manufacturing kits. Innovation is key to our success and therefore our supply chain needs to be agile and continuously developing its capabilities to support these requirements. With support from our Procurement Engineering team, new suppliers can be evaluated and introduced as part of the future global sourcing strategies that you will drive. The role will require close collaboration with all the cross-functions co-located within our UK facility (e.g. R&D, SCM, Quality) and with our German and Chinese procurement colleagues; therefore, strong communication and collaboration are key skills to be successful in the role.

Key Responsibilities

• You will support procurement with your technical expertise and are an interface partner for procurement, suppliers and R&D in terms of cost analysis and cost calculation in all phases of the product life cycle with focus on holistic product cost optimization.
• You will be organizing and performing Cost Value Engineering projects (e.g. Cost Analysis & Optimization, Target Costing, Benchmark, Should Cost analysis).
• You will support the product design phase with cost estimation and technology-specific recommendations for purchased parts.
• You will support the local procurement organization during price negotiations with your cost and value analysis.
• You will further develop and standardize value and cost optimization methods.
• You will support internal Procurement transformational programmes/processes, embracing digitalisation as an enabler to improved working.

Requirements

Your qualifications and experience:

• You have a mechanical engineering qualification, industrial engineering or a comparable field.
• You have several years of experience in engineering and/or procurement developing mutually beneficial supplier relationships in short and mid-long term.
• You have technical expertise in electro-mechanical components and/or mechanics (e.g. Sheet metal fabrication and forming, casting, machining, composite structures, mechanical assemblies, ultra-high vacuum pipework, etc.).
• You have broad and proven experience in terms of cost structure analysis, product cost optimization, cost driver analysis and target costing.

Your personality and skills:

• You can find cost- and value-optimized solutions, to convince cross-functional partners and suppliers of these and to implement them in teamwork.
• With your communication skills and your intercultural sensitivity, you enjoy working with international suppliers and colleagues. Furthermore, you are willing to travel worldwide (max. 20%).
• You personally convince with your reliability, excellent teamwork and presentation skills, initiative, and enthusiasm as well as your motivation and independent working style.
• Experience of complex problem resolution with logical mindset, strong negotiation skills, Global mindset, excellent networking skills, excellent written and oral communication skills.

Our Company

Rubicon Consulting is a Talent management consultancy which helps you to optimise business performance and competitive advantage by choosing the right people first time.