At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive strategic procurement and reshape supplier relationships for a global engineering firm.
- Company: Join a leading global organisation in industrial gases and chemicals.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonus, strong pension, and excellent career progression.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by challenging the status quo and influencing senior stakeholders.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in strategic procurement and strong negotiation skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with limitless progression opportunities and a culture that values new ideas.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 59000 Β£ per year.
Are you a procurement professional with a strategic mindset rather than transactional? Do you enjoy challenging long-standing ways of working and influencing senior stakeholders? Can you see opportunity where others see fixed supplier relationships? Are you commercially curious enough to rethink how markets, geographies and competitors interact?
Take your career to the next level with a global, engineering-led organisation operating at scale across industrial gases, chemicals and advanced process industries. This is a senior procurement role for someone who thinks beyond purchasing and sees supply strategy as a commercial lever. This role is not about raising POs or maintaining the status quo. It is about challenging how things are done, reshaping supplier dynamics, and creating value through intelligent, strategic sourcing.
What you NEED
- Proven experience in a senior procurement or category role with strategic accountability
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to think beyond cost and into value, risk and opportunity
- Experience developing and delivering category or sourcing strategies aligned to business objectives
- Confidence influencing internal stakeholders who may be resistant to change
- Ability to operate effectively in complex, ambiguous environments
- Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management capability
- Degree educated preferred, or equivalent experience in a commercial or procurement environment
What you will get in return
- Salary of Β£50,000 to Β£59,000 depending on experience
- Performance-related bonus
- Strong pension and benefits package
- Excellent long-term career progression within a global organisation
- Access to structured development, training and future leadership opportunities
- A role with genuine influence and visibility at senior level
What you will be doing
- Acting as a true business partner, developing and delivering sourcing and category strategies aligned to wider commercial goals
- Identifying opportunities to reshape supplier landscapes, including where markets are traditionally insular or geographically constrained
- Challenging established procurement models and proposing creative, commercially sound alternatives
- Leading supplier relationship management, building collaborative partnerships that deliver long-term value
- Negotiating contracts, pricing and terms to secure competitive advantage while managing supply risk
- Mapping supplier markets and competitive dynamics to unlock new sourcing opportunities
- Driving continuous improvement initiatives across cost, service, resilience and total cost of ownership
- Presenting new ideas clearly and credibly to senior internal stakeholders to gain buy-in and influence change
- Staying close to market trends, regulatory requirements and emerging technologies within industrial and process-driven sectors
Nice to Haves
- Experience within industrial gases, chemicals, process engineering, energy or adjacent heavy industry sectors
- Exposure to multinational or matrix organisations
- Experience influencing cross-functional teams at senior level
Company Profile
Our client is a global, safety-critical organisation operating across industrial gases, chemicals and advanced engineering sectors. They are known for scale, technical excellence and long-term investment in their people. This is an environment where new ideas are welcomed, challenge is encouraged, and progression is driven by impact rather than tenure. This role offers genuinely limitless progression for someone who wants to shape strategy, influence decision-making and be recognised as a commercial leader rather than a functional buyer.
Buyer - Strategic Procurement - Gas and Chemicals in Manchester employer: Winsearch
Contact Detail:
Winsearch Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice π€«
We think this is how you could land Buyer - Strategic Procurement - Gas and Chemicals in Manchester
β¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or attend local procurement events. We all know that sometimes itβs not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
β¨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its procurement strategies. We want you to be able to discuss how you can challenge the status quo and bring value to their supply chain. Show them youβre not just another buyer!
β¨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! Role-play with a friend or mentor to get comfortable discussing terms and conditions. We know that strong negotiation is key in procurement, so letβs make sure youβre ready to impress.
β¨Tip Number 4
Donβt forget to apply through our website! Itβs the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search. Letβs get you in front of the right people!
We think you need these skills to ace Buyer - Strategic Procurement - Gas and Chemicals in Manchester
Some tips for your application π«‘
Show Your Strategic Mindset: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your strategic thinking skills. We want to see how youβve challenged the norm and influenced stakeholders in your previous roles. Use specific examples to demonstrate your ability to think beyond just purchasing.
Emphasise Commercial Acumen: Donβt forget to showcase your commercial awareness! Weβre looking for someone who can identify value and opportunity, not just cost. Share instances where youβve successfully navigated complex environments and made impactful decisions.
Tailor Your Application: Make your application stand out by tailoring it to our job description. We love when candidates align their experiences with our needs, especially around reshaping supplier dynamics and driving continuous improvement. Show us how you fit into our vision!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. Itβs the best way for us to receive your application and ensures youβre considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows youβre keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Winsearch
β¨Know Your Market
Before the interview, dive deep into the industrial gases and chemicals market. Understand current trends, key players, and potential challenges. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your commercial acumen and ability to think strategically about supplier relationships.
β¨Prepare to Challenge the Norm
Be ready to discuss how you've successfully challenged established procurement models in the past. Think of specific examples where you reshaped supplier dynamics or introduced innovative sourcing strategies. This will show your potential employer that you're not just a buyer but a strategic partner.
β¨Influence with Confidence
Practice articulating your ideas clearly and persuasively. Prepare for questions on how you would influence resistant stakeholders. Use examples from your experience to illustrate your negotiation skills and ability to build collaborative partnerships.
β¨Showcase Continuous Improvement Mindset
Highlight your commitment to continuous improvement by discussing initiatives you've led that enhanced cost efficiency, service quality, or resilience. Be specific about the outcomes and how they aligned with broader business objectives, as this aligns perfectly with the role's expectations.