2025 Procurement Graduate

Location: Crawley, United Kingdom In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow’s possible. Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions. 2025 Procurement Graduate Start Date: 01 September 2025 Salary: £30,000 per annum Employee type: Permanent Location: Rotational programme across our main sites; Crawley, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast, Reading, Cheadle, London and Templecombe Working Schedule: Monday – Friday, 37 hours a week (8 hours Monday – Thursday, 5 hours Friday) Are you eager to dive into the world of negotiations? Do you have the skills to build and maintain mutually beneficial supplier relationships? Are you enthusiastic about being at the forefront of supply chain innovation? Do you want to be part of a Graduate Programme that will develop and challenge you? If so, then look no further… What the role has to offer: Hands-on experience in sourcing and negotiating with suppliers Opportunity to contribute to cost-saving initiatives and strategic purchasing decisions Exposure to supplier management and relationship building Learning best practices in procurement processes and procedures Engaging in market research and analysis to support purchasing strategies Involvement in contract management and legal aspects of procurement Collaboration with cross-functional teams for effective supply chain management Participation in implementing sustainable and ethical procurement practices Development of skills in risk assessment and management within the procurement context Opportunity for career growth and advancement within the procurement profession Description of role: As a procurement graduate, you will step into a pivotal role at the heart of supply chain operations. This dynamic position will immerse you in the art of strategic sourcing, negotiation, and supplier relationship management, empowering you to contribute to cost-saving initiatives and informed purchasing decisions. You will collaborate closely with diverse teams, gaining exposure to market research, contract management, and risk assessment, all while championing ethical and sustainable procurement practices. This role not only promises hands-on experience and an in-depth understanding of procurement processes but also offers a springboard for professional growth and advancement within the procurement realm. Graduate Programme You’ll be expected to complete four six-month placements, these can be across various Thales sites and businesses in the UK so flexibility on your location is required for this role. Our main sites are; Crawley, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast, Reading, Cheadle, London and Templecombe. At the commencement of the second year of the program, graduates will embark on MCIPS Level 4, sponsored by Thales, as part of their development within the Graduate Programme. Requirements: You will be on track to or have achieved a bachelor’s degree in any subject Ability to work with and understand complex information Utilization of an analytical approach to construct and present a clear rationale Capacity to forge effective relationships with a diverse range of individuals, potentially on a global scale Proficiency in leveraging the strengths of others for negotiation with suppliers and stakeholders Commitment to achieving competitive outcomes for the company Strong attention to detail Comfort and proficiency in working with numerical data Flexibility for Graduate Development Programme (GDP) activities, including potential travel and follow-up requirements Willingness to travel to various Thales and non-Thales sites throughout the UK for GDP activities Benefits 201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays) Company Pension Health Care Cash Plan Life Insurance Discount Portal Performance-related pay uplifts 80 Hours Volunteering (first two years) Hybrid working (3 days on site minimum) Closing date: Our applications will close at 11.59pm on Sunday 5 January 2025 , this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2025 with details of next steps. Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February and May 2025 Induction week for all Graduate and Apprentices will take place from Monday 01 September until Friday 05 September 2025. Recruitment Process: For further information on our Early Careers recruitment process or to speak to a member of the Early Careers Team or a Graduate or Apprentice, please visit Thales Future Talent – Connectr . Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance. To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks. As part of the vetting process you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, eligibility to work in the UK, time spent abroad over the last 5 years, as well as employment and/or educational history. For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels . Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales. In line with Thales’ Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency. At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles. Great journeys start here, apply now!