Buyer

About the Role: The Buyer is responsible for managing sourcing and purchasing activities across assigned commodities, ensuring business requirements are met through the optimum balance of cost, quality, delivery, service, risk and sustainability. The role manages the end-to-end purchasing lifecycle, from development of purchasing strategies, market resource, competitive tendering, negotiation and contracting, supplier performance management and ongoing contract management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct UK-level spend analysis, market intelligence and benchmarking across assigned commodities to identify sourcing opportunities, efficiencies, risks and areas for consolidation.
• Support the operational Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) process, including raising and maintaining purchase orders, resolving PO and invoice queries, and ensuring purchasing data remains accurate and up to date.
• Develop and implement commodity and sourcing strategies aligned with business and Group Purchasing objectives.
• Lead RFQ, RFP and competitive tendering activities, evaluating proposals based on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), commercial competitiveness, risk and overall value.
• Identify and deliver cost savings, cost avoidance and value-improvement opportunities, supported by effective negotiation strategies.
• Lead commercial negotiations and contract management, working with Legal and stakeholders to establish appropriate pricing, service levels, liabilities, performance obligations and commercial protections.
• Identify, assess and manage supplier and commercial risks, including financial, operational, contractual, capacity and business continuity risks.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, challenging requirements where appropriate and ensuring Purchasing is engaged early in the sourcing process.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance against agreed commercial, quality, delivery and service KPIs, driving improvement and corrective actions where required.
• Proactively manage commercial and contractual issues and disputes, escalating material risks where appropriate.
• Support sustainability and CSR objectives through sourcing decisions, supplier selection, contracting and supplier management.
• Drive continuous improvement, digital transformation and appropriate use of AI to improve Purchasing processes, data quality, efficiency and decision-making.
• Maintain accurate purchasing, supplier and contract data within relevant business systems.

What You'll Bring:

Essential

• Demonstrable experience within a Purchasing, Procurement or commercial environment.
• Good knowledge of procurement methodologies and sourcing processes, including tendering, supplier selection and contract management.
• Strong commercial and numerical skills, with the ability to analyse quotations, costs and supplier proposals.
• Strong negotiation, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Good understanding of commercial contracts, contractual risk and supplier management.
• Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities and sourcing activities independently.
• Self-motivated and resilient, with the ability to take ownership of activities through to commercial closure.
• Experience using ERP, purchasing or procurement information systems, with good general digital capability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.

Desirable

• CIPS qualification, working towards CIPS, or an equivalent procurement/commercial qualification.
• Relevant Business, Procurement or Supply Chain qualification, or equivalent professional experience.
• Project management experience, particularly involving cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience within an industrial, manufacturing or aerospace environment.
• Experience of strategic sourcing, supplier development and continuous improvement.