Commodity Manager in Leyland

Up to £55,000 - £65,000 + excellent benefits

Permanent | 37-hour week

I’m recruiting a Commodity Manager for an OEM manufacturing business. This is an excellent opportunity for somebody who enjoys proper strategic procurement within a large manufacturing environment. The biggest highlight of this role is the level of ownership. You won’t simply be managing orders or reacting to supplier issues. You’ll take strategic ownership of your commodity area and have real responsibility for the direction of the supply base – sourcing strategy, supplier selection, commercial negotiations, cost, quality, delivery and longer-term supplier performance.

You’ll be making decisions that have a genuine impact on a major UK manufacturing operation, while working with suppliers and stakeholders across the UK, Europe and South America.

The scale of the business is probably bigger than a lot of people realise. They employ over 1,000 people on site and are part of a global organisation, meaning the supply base and opportunities are genuinely international. The site itself is one of Europe’s most advanced facilities, with a state-of-the-art manufacturing operation alongside beautiful, modern new offices. It feels like a proper engineering and manufacturing business when you walk around it – there is a lot happening and expectations are high – but it is also a very good environment to work in.

This is something I can actually comment on from experience rather than just repeating the company brochure. I’ve placed multiple people into this team and they are, genuinely, all lovely people. It is a hard-working team and they expect people to pull their weight, but there is genuine autonomy here and a really positive atmosphere around the department. People help each other, there’s plenty of experience in the team and it doesn’t have that overly corporate or political feel you sometimes get in businesses of this size.

The role involves:

• Owning and developing the commodity strategy for your area
• Leading sourcing exercises and supplier selection
• Taking the lead on commercial negotiations
• Managing and developing key supplier relationships
• Identifying and delivering cost reduction opportunities
• Improving supplier performance across cost, quality, delivery and lead times
• Working closely with Engineering, Quality, Materials, Manufacturing and other internal teams
• Supporting new projects and engineering/product changes
• Analysing spend, supplier and commercial data to identify opportunities
• Managing risk and ensuring continuity of supply
• Challenging suppliers and internal stakeholders when needed
• Building longer-term relationships with suppliers rather than simply managing transactions
• Travelling internationally when required to meet suppliers and support projects

There will always be some day-to-day supplier challenges in a manufacturing environment of this scale, but fundamentally this is a strategic procurement role. They want somebody who can look beyond today’s issue and think about where their commodity and supplier base needs to be in the next few years.

Who would suit it?

You’ll ideally have experience within a manufacturing, engineering, automotive, aerospace or similarly complex supply chain environment, and you’ll need to be comfortable taking commercial ownership rather than simply working through a purchasing process. I’d particularly like to speak with people who have:

• Strong strategic sourcing and negotiation experience
• Experience managing important supplier relationships
• Good commercial awareness and the confidence to challenge
• An understanding of manufacturing supply chains
• Experience working alongside Engineering, Quality and Materials teams
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data commercially
• The ability to influence people without necessarily having direct authority over them
• A proactive approach – somebody who will spot an opportunity or problem and go after it
• A degree, CIPS qualification or equivalent professional experience

Package:

• Salary: £55,000 - £65,000
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Holiday: 25 days + bank holidays
• Pension: Aviva Defined Contribution Master Trust Pension
• Healthcare: Comprehensive medical scheme including dental, optical and outpatient cover
• Development: Extensive learning, training and career development opportunities
• Location: Leyland, Lancashire

If you’re an experienced procurement professional and want a role where you can own a commodity, influence strategy and see the impact of the decisions you make, apply or get in touch with me directly for a confidential conversation. Even if your current job title is slightly different, I’m happy to have a chat.