Purchasing Officer (International Procurement)

Custom Denning; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Custom Denning, Australia’s leading zero-emissions bus manufacturer, is seeking a Purchasing Officer focused on international procurement. You will own strategic sourcing for vehicle components and raw materials, prioritising overseas suppliers to sustain on-time production.

Collaboration with engineering, production, quality and finance will be essential to ensure cost-effective, compliant supply chains. You will manage global supplier relations, oversee freight, Incoterms and import processes,

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in procurement or supply chain within manufacturing.
• Proven international sourcing experience with offshore suppliers.
• Strong knowledge of Incoterms, customs processes, and international logistics.
• Experience negotiating contracts and managing suppliers across markets.
• Ability to collaborate with engineering, production and quality teams.
• BOM-driven procurement and change control understanding.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end international procurement across a production line with thousands of items to ensure on-time arrival.
• Lead sourcing, qualification, and relationship management of overseas suppliers across time zones and cultures.
• Oversee international freight, customs, Incoterms, import compliance, and cross-border logistics with freight forwarders and brokers.
• Coordinate with engineering and production on BOM alignment and supplier qualification.
• Manage long-lead and critical overseas components to support production schedules.
• Drive cost reduction and negotiate favourable terms with international suppliers, considering currency and landed cost.
• Identify and mitigate international supply chain risks including geopolitical and logistics risks.
• Monitor FX exposure and work with finance on hedging/costing implications.

Skills

International sourcing

Procurement

Contract negotiations

Incoterms

BOM management

Cross-functional collaboration

FX/ landed cost awareness

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

Purchasing Officer (International Procurement)

NSW - Office Full Time Purchasing

ABOUT CUSTOM DENNING

At Custom Denning, we're a proudly Australian manufacturer and at the forefront of designing, manufacturing, and supporting next‑generation transport solutions such as zero‑emissions electric buses.

As public transport transitions to cleaner technologies, Custom Denning plays a critical role in delivering compliant, high‑performance vehicles that meet stringent regulatory, safety and contractual requirements. Join a respected manufacturer where contract discipline, accountability and delivery excellence truly matter.

We're now seeking a Purchasing Officer with a strong background in international sourcing to manage complex overseas supply chains supporting our bus manufacturing program.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, the Purchasing Officer will take ownership of strategic sourcing activities across vehicle components and raw materials, with a particular focus on overseas and international suppliers. You will work closely with engineering, production, quality, and finance teams to ensure cost‑effective, compliant, and reliable supply to support on‑time bus production.

This role suits a commercially astute procurement professional with deep experience managing international supply chains in manufacturing, automotive, rolling stock, or heavy engineering environments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage end‑to‑end international procurement across a production line with over 7,000 individual items, ensuring on‑time arrival to avoid production delays

Lead sourcing, qualification, and relationship management of overseas suppliers, including managing time zones, language, cultural and logistical complexities

Manage international freight, customs, Incoterms, import compliance, and cross‑border logistics in coordination with freight forwarders and customs brokers

Collaborate with engineering and production teams on BOM alignment, technical sourcing, and supplier qualification

Manage long‑lead and critical overseas components to support production schedules

Drive cost reduction and negotiate favourable commercial terms with international suppliers, accounting for currency, tariffs, and landed cost

Identify and mitigate international supply chain risks — including geopolitical, currency, logistics, and single‑source risk

Manage FX exposure considerations and work with finance on hedging/costing implications of overseas purchasing

Contribute to accurate monthly reporting and procurement insights, with visibility of international supply performance

Monitor international procurement schedules and proactively resolve issues, including shipment delays and customs holds

Support ESG, modern slavery, and local content reporting requirements, particularly relevant to overseas supply chains

ABOUT YOU

You are a confident, hands‑on procurement professional who understands the realities of manufacturing environments and the added complexity of sourcing from international markets.

5+ years' experience in procurement or supply chain roles within manufacturing or engineering

Demonstrated experience managing international/overseas procurement, including working directly with offshore suppliers

Working knowledge of Incoterms, customs/import processes, and international logistics

Strong experience negotiating commercial contracts and managing suppliers across different markets and cultures

Proven ability to work cross‑functionally with engineering, production, and quality teams

Sound understanding of BOM‑driven procurement and change control

Strong analytical, commercial, and stakeholder management skills

Highly desirable:

Experience sourcing from Asia, Europe, or other key manufacturing regions relevant to bus/vehicle components

Experience in bus, truck, automotive, rail, or defence manufacturing

ERP/MRP experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Familiarity with FX risk and landed cost modelling

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive salary, reviewed annually — we invest in our people

Join Australia's only local, fully electric bus manufacturer — a genuinely rare opportunity

A stable, full‑time permanent role in a business that's growing fast and built for the future

A down‑to‑earth team that's got your back, with safety at the heart of everything we do

Get hands‑on with cutting‑edge EV manufacturing technology — not just talk about the future, build it

Work out of our modern, purpose‑built Sydney production facility

Real influence — help shape and mature the safety and quality framework as we scale

Direct line to senior leadership — your ideas won't get lost in layers of management