At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global sourcing for castings, forgings, and heavy metals while driving strategic initiatives.
- Company: Join a dynamic organisation focused on innovation and supply chain resilience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and hybrid working options.
- Why this job: Shape sourcing strategies that impact global operations and drive business success.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in global sourcing and strong negotiation skills required.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and influence across multiple business units.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 85000 £ per year.
Location: UK (with occasional international travel)
We are delighted to be working in a retained partnership with a key client seeking a highly motivated Commodity Director to take strategic ownership of the organisation's global sourcing activities across castings, forgings, and heavy metal components. This senior role will shape and deliver a long-term sourcing strategy that enhances supply chain resilience, drives cost optimisation, and supports growth across multiple business units and geographies.
Role Overview
You will provide the business with strategic insight and direction in the sourcing of direct materials, specifically:
- Castings
- Forgings
- Heavy metals
- Related industrial components
- Supplier and capability development across emerging markets
You will lead a high-impact category that plays a critical role in the competitiveness, reliability, and innovation of the organisation's product portfolio.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and implement a comprehensive sourcing strategy for castings and forgings, fully aligned with business goals for cost reduction, supply-chain resilience, continuity of supply, sustainability, and quality assurance.
- Provide strategic oversight and market intelligence across global supplier bases, including emerging markets with high potential for capacity, cost competitiveness, and innovation.
- Shape long-term category strategies that deliver measurable value across multiple business units and regions.
Global Supplier Development
- Identify, evaluate, and qualify emerging global suppliers across castings, forgings, and metal manufacturing.
- Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with existing and potential suppliers in established and developing markets.
- Drive supplier development initiatives to enhance performance, technical capability, reliability, and innovation.
Commercial & Technical Excellence
- Lead complex cost analysis, use cost modelling, and negotiation strategies to secure competitive contracts and long-term agreements.
- Partner closely with engineering, operations, and Senior Leadership to identify cost-saving opportunities through:
- Design-for-manufacture
- Standardisation
- Material optimisation
- Value engineering
Risk & Compliance Management
- Monitor geo-economic, regulatory, environmental, and market risks in global sourcing regions.
- Ensure full supplier compliance with ethics, sustainability, safety, and quality standards.
- Stay ahead of commodity trends, capacity constraints, raw material pricing, and geopolitical factors influencing the metals, castings, and forgings sectors.
Team & Stakeholder Leadership
- Collaborate across multiple departments and business units to align sourcing decisions with company-wide objectives.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a sourcing team to build high capability and strong functional performance.
- Act as the executive sponsor for key supplier partnerships.
About You
You will bring a strong blend of commercial, technical, and strategic expertise, including:
- A proven track record in global sourcing within industrial markets, ideally with specific experience in metal products, castings, or forgings.
- Experience leading high-impact categories across complex, multi-site or international organisations.
- Demonstrable success in developing and executing global sourcing strategies that deliver value and resilience.
- Strong understanding of metal manufacturing processes, cost drivers, supply-market dynamics, and global sourcing landscapes.
- Excellent negotiation, influencing, and relationship-building skills at senior level.
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret complex data and market intelligence.
- Ambitious, energetic, and motivated, with the ability to drive change and inspire cross-functional teams.
- Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking skills.
What We Offer
- Competitive leadership-level salary and bonus
- Comprehensive benefits package
- A key strategic role with direct impact across global operations
- Opportunity to shape a highly critical category and influence long-term business success
- Hybrid working with a Southwest England base
Commodity Director in England employer: W Talent
Contact Detail:
W Talent Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Commodity Director in England
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or attend relevant events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that Commodity Director role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its competitors. We want to show that you’re not just another candidate; you’re the one who understands the market dynamics and can drive strategic sourcing initiatives.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! As a Commodity Director, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to secure competitive contracts. We suggest role-playing with a friend or mentor to sharpen those skills before the big day.
✨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 are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Commodity Director in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Commodity Director role. Highlight your experience in global sourcing, especially in castings and forgings, and showcase any strategic leadership you've provided in previous roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this position. Share specific examples of how you've developed sourcing strategies that align with business goals and driven supplier development initiatives.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role requires an analytical mindset, include examples of how you've interpreted complex data or market intelligence in your past roles. This will help us see your ability to drive cost optimisation and enhance supply chain resilience.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves!
How to prepare for a job interview at W Talent
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of global sourcing, especially in castings and forgings. Understand the latest trends in metal manufacturing and be ready to discuss how you can enhance supply chain resilience and drive cost optimisation.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare to talk about your experience in developing and executing sourcing strategies. Have specific examples ready that demonstrate how you've delivered measurable value and resilience in previous roles, especially in complex, multi-site environments.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves a lot of supplier development, think about how you’ve built and maintained strong relationships with suppliers in the past. Be ready to share your approach to collaboration and how you’ve influenced stakeholders at a senior level.
✨Be Data-Driven
An analytical mindset is key for this position. Prepare to discuss how you've used data and market intelligence to inform your sourcing decisions. Bring examples of how you've conducted cost analysis and negotiation strategies to secure competitive contracts.