Job Description
Advanced Materials Manufacturing & Engineering
Gloucestershire
Circa 55,000 p.a. + Strong Benefits Package
Senior level procurement within advanced manufacturing and engineering.
A highly respected advanced materials manufacturing and engineering business is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to lead direct sourcing activity across a diverse and technically demanding project portfolio.
This is not a routine purchasing role but one with genuine commercial input.
You will be sourcing engineered components, specialist materials and technical services in support of complex, customer-driven manufacturing programmes across multiple end-user sectors including; Defence, Aerospace, Automotive and Industrial Manufacturing.
The Opportunity
Operating within a small but dynamic, project-led Procurement team, you will take ownership of direct procurement activity, ensuring materials, components and specialist sub-contract services are sourced competitively, delivered on time and aligned with demanding technical and certification driven specifications.
The business supports a broad spectrum of industries, requiring agility, strong supplier relationships and sound commercial judgement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead direct sourcing activity for raw materials, engineered components and technical sub-contract services
- Support multiple concurrent technical projects across varied customer sectors
- Negotiate pricing, terms and framework agreements to protect margin
- Work closely with Engineering, Production and Project teams to understand specification and lead-time requirements
- Identify and qualify new suppliers to mitigate risk and improve resilience
- Manage supplier performance, quality and delivery metrics
- Drive cost reduction initiatives without compromising technical integrity
- Support long-lead and complex procurement planning
What We're Looking For
- Proven experience in direct procurement within manufacturing or engineering
- Exposure to sourcing technical components or advanced materials
- Strong negotiation and commercial skills
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications
- Experience working within project-driven or low-to-medium volume environments
- Supplier development and performance management capability
- Strong stakeholder management across technical and operational teams
Why Join?
- Diverse and technically interesting sourcing portfolio
- Exposure to advanced engineering applications across multiple sectors
- High level of autonomy and influence
- Opportunity to shape supplier strategy and cost performance
- Stable, forward-thinking manufacturing environment
If you are a commercially astute and direct procurement biased Senior Buyer who enjoys technical sourcing challenges and cross-functional collaboration, we would welcome a confidential discussion.
How to apply
To apply in confidence and to initiate an informal discussion, please submit a fully CV online detailing your current remuneration package and availability quoting job reference 10292.
Desired Skills and Experience
Procurement, Purchasing, Buyer, Commercial, Negotiation, Manufacturing, Engineering, Aerospace, Automotive, Industrial, CIPS, Direct
