At a Glance
- Tasks: Join a fast-paced team to source materials and negotiate supplier contracts.
- Company: Unipart Manufacturing, a leader in supply chain performance improvement.
- Benefits: Up to £43,000 salary, 33 days holiday, pension, and flexible benefits.
- Other info: Inclusive workplace valuing diversity and offering excellent career development.
- Why this job: Be part of an exciting manufacturing project with rapid growth potential.
- Qualifications: Experience in purchasing, strong negotiation skills, and analytical mindset.
Coventry
Up to £43,000 plus 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), pension, life assurance, employee assistance programme, wellbeing support, and flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme.
About the Role
Unipart Manufacturing is launching a flagship, fast-paced manufacturing project in Coventry, combining high-volume electrification assembly with complex injection moulding inputs. Fully aligned with Unipart’s Sector and Growth Strategy and The Unipart Way Forward Plan, this exciting venture will scale rapidly from zero to over 200 team members within a four-month period, carrying potential to evolve into a standalone business. We are seeking a driven, commercially sharp Buyer to support strategic sourcing, New Product Introduction (NPI), and raw material/component procurement. Reporting to the Head of Purchasing, you will negotiate supplier terms, manage business system data, and secure continuity of supply across electrification assembly and injection moulding inputs.
Key Responsibilities
- Sourcing and NPI Support: Execute strategic sourcing and NPI purchasing activities for goods, materials, electrification components, and services to meet cost, quality, and delivery (QCD) targets.
- Supplier Negotiation and Cost Savings: Negotiate supplier contracts, improve commercial terms, conduct spend analyses, and deliver tangible business savings using procurement best-practice tools.
- Continuity of Supply and Risk Management: Monitor supply chain risks, facilitate communication between suppliers and internal engineering/manufacturing teams, and ensure uninterrupted material flow.
- Systems and Performance Evaluation: Manage purchasing data (purchase orders, contracts, supplier onboarding), compile departmental KPI reports, and conduct supplier performance reviews.
- Culture and The Unipart Way: Embed Unipart Way principles, standardised workflows, and continuous improvement practices across all procurement operations.
About You
We’d love you to have the following skills and experience, but please apply if you think you’d be able to perform well in this role!
- Purchasing Experience: Experience working within a purchasing or procurement team, ideally in an automotive, electrification, or fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Commercial and Analytical Acumen: Numerically astute with strong contract negotiation skills, supplier cost analysis capability, and understanding of manufacturing impact.
- NPI and Supplier Management: Track record of managing supplier relationships, supporting new project introductions, and raising purchase orders/contracts within ERP/MRP systems.
- Work Ethic and Drive: Proactive self-starter with excellent problem-solving skills, high attention to detail, and the ability to handle time-critical supply chain demands.
About Unipart
We are a supply chain performance improvement partner. We Design, Make, Move, and Improve components in our customers’ supply chains, keeping their operations and assets moving and working better, for longer. Through our commitment to continuously driving operational efficiencies, we improve performance - saving time, cost, and carbon. Our ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We believe that a great workplace is one where you can bring your whole self to work. Our recruitment process is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and based entirely on merit. We define merit through a combination of technical skills and the core behaviours that help our people thrive at Unipart. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background or circumstances. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity that exceeds our statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and subsequent legislation. Whether it’s your age, disability, neurodiversity, gender identity, family status, or any other characteristic that makes you ‘you’ - it is your talent and potential that we value most.
Adjustments for you: We want you to perform at your best. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know. We are here to support you.
Buyer - Advanced Manufacturing Scale-Up in Coventry employer: Unipart
Unipart in Magna Park is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee development and a strong safety culture, making it an ideal place for those looking to grow their careers in supply chain management. With a focus on continuous improvement and lean practices, team members are encouraged to collaborate and innovate, ensuring a rewarding work environment that values each individual's contribution. Join us to be part of a dynamic team where your efforts directly impact our commitment to delivering world-class service.
