Senior Buyer

Senior Buyer

Full-Time 50000 - 65000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
weServed

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead procurement activities and develop supply chain strategies for defence and engineering projects.
  • Company: Join Babcock, a global leader in national security and engineering excellence.
  • Benefits: Generous holiday allowance, flexible working, and employee share scheme.
  • Other info: Hybrid working options and commitment to inclusivity and work-life balance.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on national security while advancing your career in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: Experience in procurement or supply chain, ideally in defence or engineering.

The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.

Location: UK, Hybrid

Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Shape supply chains that support national defence and engineering excellence. At Babcock, we're working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Senior Buyer at Babcock, to be based at any of our UK hubs.

The role:

As a Senior Buyer, you'll be at the heart of delivering high-impact procurement solutions across complex defence and engineering programmes. Acting as a key partner to Programme and Project teams, you'll lead sourcing activities, drive value, and strengthen supplier performance across multiple procurement projects. This is a dynamic role where your expertise will directly support mission-critical capabilities. You'll have the opportunity to influence supply chain strategy, develop commercial solutions, and build lasting supplier relationships all while advancing your career in a purpose-driven environment that values innovation and continuous improvement.

Day-to-day, you'll be required to:

  • Lead procurement activities across multiple projects to deliver value, performance, and efficiency
  • Develop and implement supply chain strategies for defined packages of work
  • Build and manage strong supplier relationships to ensure quality and delivery excellence
  • Drive operational excellence through reporting, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support programme objectives and commercial outcomes

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days onsite and days working from home.

Essential experience of the Senior Buyer:

  • Proven experience in a procurement or supply chain role, ideally within defence, aerospace, or engineering
  • Experience delivering supply chain strategies and identifying value and cost optimisation opportunities
  • Demonstrated expertise in supplier relationship management and performance improvement
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate across programme teams
  • Understanding of procurement processes within complex project environments

Qualifications for the Senior Buyer:

  • MCIPS desirable but not essential

Security Clearance:

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held.

What we offer:

  • Generous holiday allowance
  • Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
  • Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
  • Employee share scheme
  • Employee shopping savings portal
  • Payment of Professional Fees
  • Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
  • Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
  • Be Kind Day enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year to undertake volunteering
  • Flexible working - we give people more options to better integrate their work and personal life, whilst ensuring that business needs are met
  • A dynamic working environment

Babcock is a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference. Here, you'll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we're building a future that lasts - not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance. We call that lifetime engineering. Join us and see how far we can go, together.

We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header 'Reasonable adjustments requirement'. We're committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone's free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working - please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Closing date: 22/05/2026

Senior Buyer employer: weServed

Babcock is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package including generous holiday allowances and flexible working arrangements. With a strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, employees in the Senior Buyer role will thrive in a dynamic environment that supports national defence and engineering excellence, while also enjoying opportunities for career advancement and meaningful contributions to vital projects.
weServed

Contact Detail:

weServed Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Buyer

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the defence and engineering sectors. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral, which can give you a leg up in the hiring process.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching Babcock's recent projects and initiatives. Show us that you're not just another candidate; demonstrate your passion for our mission and how your skills as a Senior Buyer can contribute to our goals.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your negotiation skills! As a Senior Buyer, you'll need to showcase your ability to drive value and strengthen supplier relationships. Role-play common scenarios with a friend to build confidence before the real deal.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us that you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Babcock.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Buyer

Procurement Expertise
Supply Chain Strategy Development
Supplier Relationship Management
Performance Improvement
Cost Optimisation
Communication Skills
Collaboration
Operational Excellence
Reporting and Performance Monitoring
Experience in Defence, Aerospace, or Engineering
Understanding of Procurement Processes
MCIPS (desirable)
Security Clearance Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Buyer role. Highlight your procurement experience, especially in defence or engineering, and showcase any successful supply chain strategies you've implemented.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the role and how your skills align with Babcock's mission. Don't forget to mention your experience in supplier relationship management!

Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive value and efficiency in procurement. Numbers and results speak volumes, so include them where possible!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves, and we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!

How to prepare for a job interview at weServed

✨Know Your Procurement Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your procurement knowledge, especially in defence and engineering. Understand the key principles of supply chain strategies and be ready to discuss how you've delivered value and cost optimisation in past roles.

✨Showcase Your Supplier Relationship Skills

Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've built and managed strong supplier relationships. Highlight any instances where you've improved supplier performance or driven operational excellence, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.

✨Communicate Effectively

Strong communication is crucial for this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Think about how you can collaborate with cross-functional teams and support programme objectives, and be ready to discuss these scenarios.

✨Understand the Company Culture

Familiarise yourself with Babcock's values and mission. They’re looking for someone who aligns with their purpose-driven environment. Be ready to discuss how your personal values align with theirs and how you can contribute to their goal of creating a safe and secure world.

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