Job Title: Senior Buyer

Location: Christchurch (On-site: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Contract Type: Inside IR35
Duration: Until 31st August 2025 (with potential for extension)
Working Hours: 37 hours per week (7.4 hours per day)

Clearance Requirements:

SC clearance is highly desirable.
Candidates must be UK Nationals and British-born due to project requirements.
Candidates can start on BPSS clearance if SC clearance is not already in place.

Job Purpose:

We are looking for an experienced Senior Buyer to join our dynamic Procurement and Supply Chain team. As a key member of the team, you will play a crucial role in shaping procurement processes, driving excellence, and ensuring that our projects are delivered with the highest standards of quality and compliance.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a high-profile defence project, collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders to build effective procurement strategies and maintain strong supplier relationships.

Responsibilities:

Collaborate and Innovate: Partner with cross-functional teams (e.g., Quality, Project Management, Engineering, Finance) and suppliers to create and implement best-in-class procurement strategies.
Supplier Risk Management: Lead risk-based assessments of suppliers, leveraging market intelligence and external analysis to make informed decisions.
Ensure Governance Excellence: Operate within a robust governance framework to ensure full compliance with EN9100 standards, meeting audit requirements and setting the benchmark for best practices.
Empower Stakeholders: Guide non-procurement teams on procurement policies, showcasing the value of these processes and helping them see the bigger picture.
Drive Supplier Performance: Implement strong supplier management techniques, addressing underperformance and ensuring alignment with internal stakeholders’ expectations.
Strategic Site Assessments: Participate in supplier site assessments, identifying risks and uncovering opportunities for improvement that will drive future success.
Mitigate Supplier Risks: Proactively identify and resolve potential risks—whether financial, cyber security-related, or product safety issues—to ensure smooth project execution.
Lead and Inspire: Manage and support your direct reports, ensuring they deliver high-quality, accurate work, while fostering a collaborative and results-driven environment.
Champion Continuous Improvement: Take the lead in driving process automation and efficiency enhancements, striving for continual improvement in every aspect of the procurement lifecycle.

Experience Requirements:

Experience:

Strong expertise in procurement and supply chain coordination, with a track record of successfully collaborating across teams to achieve shared goals.
Comprehensive understanding of legal, regulatory, and contractual procurement requirements.
Familiarity with the UK Defence Sector, including key players and the MoD procurement process.
Skilled at escalating issues at the right time, engaging senior leadership when required, and ensuring alignment with project objectives.
Demonstrated ability to resolve performance issues, turning challenging situations into positive outcomes.

Technical Skills/Knowledge:

A strategic thinker with the ability to balance business outcomes and build lasting stakeholder relationships.
Excellent communication and influencing skills, both internally with team members and externally with suppliers.
Proficient at tackling poor performance head-on and managing difficult conversations with tact and professionalism.
A problem solver at heart, with a proactive approach to identifying risks and opportunities, driving decision-making with data and insights.
Experience in leading continuous improvement initiatives and delivering solutions to complex procurement challenges.
Highly detail-oriented, ensuring precision in all procurement activities and processes.

Candidate Requirements:

Proven knowledge of procurement and supply chain processes within the defence and electronic industries.
SC clearance is highly desirable, though BPSS clearance is acceptable initially.
Must be UK National and British-born due to project requirements.