Buyer

Draken; St. Ives; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matching

Bonus incentives

Electric car scheme

Tech vouchers

Wellbeing programmes

Discounted PMI

Job summary

Draken is seeking a proactive Buyer to support procurement and supply chain activities for a diverse fleet of aircraft. You will handle RFQs, purchase orders, expediting, and inventory planning while engaging internal stakeholders and external suppliers to ensure timely availability of parts and services.

The role emphasizes relationship-building, problem-solving, and prioritisation in a fast-paced aviation environment, reporting to the Senior Buyer in the UK-based team.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of purchasing/procurement experience in a similar role.
• Ability to prioritise, meet deadlines and handle multiple demands.
• Strong communication and stakeholder influence skills.
• Negotiation and problem-solving with a collaborative approach.
• Attention to detail with accurate administration and numerical skills.

Responsibilities

• Generate RFQ, order requests, purchase and repair orders; ensure accuracy and timeliness.
• Expedite quotations and orders to secure supplier commitments and delivery
• Align procurement with operational priorities through stakeholder collaboration.
• Maintain inventory levels via demand planning and EOQ methods.
• Produce shortage and open order reports for supply chain visibility.
• Build relationships with internal teams and suppliers; resolve issues.
• Lead supplier performance reviews; drive continuous improvement.
• Represent procurement in daily reviews and deputise when required.
• Manage Aircraft on Ground requirements during working hours.

Skills

Procurement

Negotiation

Supplier relationships

ERP systems

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Education

CIPS Level 4 qualification

Tools

ERP systems

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

Location: Hurn

Hours: Full-time 37 hours | Permanent

Draken believes in fair reward and recognition for our employees. As such, we offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including up to 12% matching pension contributions, bonus incentives, discounted PMI, electric car scheme, tech vouchers, wellbeing programmes and much more.

About The Role

Draken is seeking a proactive and commercially minded Buyer to support all aspects of the Purchasing and Supply Chain function, helping to deliver advanced technology solutions across a diverse fleet of aircraft for customers worldwide.

Reporting to the Senior Buyer, you will manage day‑to‑day procurement activity including requests for quotation, purchase orders, repair orders, supplier expediting and inventory requirements. Working closely with internal stakeholders and external suppliers, you will help ensure parts, materials and services are available in line with operational priorities.

This is a varied opportunity for an organised purchasing professional who enjoys building strong relationships, solving problems and managing competing priorities within a fast-paced aviation environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate and manage requests for quotation, requests to order, purchase orders and repair orders, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
• Proactively expedite outstanding quotations, purchase orders and repair orders to secure supplier commitments and achieve delivery schedules.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to understand operational priorities and align procurement activity with business objectives.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels through demand planning, economic order quantity management and effective procurement practices.
• Produce, analyse and maintain shortage reports and open order book reports to support supply chain visibility and business continuity.
• Build strong relationships with internal teams and external suppliers, resolving issues relating to orders, technical support, production requirements, invoicing and quality.
• Lead regular supplier performance reviews, both remotely and on‑site, driving accountability, continuous improvement and stronger performance.
• Represent Procurement at daily operational review meetings and deputise for colleagues or management when required.
• Take ownership of Aircraft on Ground requirements during working hours, responding quickly to urgent operational needs.
• Maintain accurate procurement records through regular system housekeeping within Aerotrac and the Service Desk.
• Initiate and manage internal workshop projects for unserviceable rotable components, gathering and assessing technical records, service history, utilisation data and work scope requirements.
• Ensure procurement activity complies with company policies, procedures and regulatory requirements, with safety and a Just Culture approach embedded in decision‑making.

About You

You are an organised and proactive purchasing professional who can manage multiple priorities, communicate confidently with a range of stakeholders and remain solutions‑focused under pressure. Approachable, open and collaborative, you take ownership of your work and look for practical ways to improve processes and supplier performance.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Two to three years’ demonstrable experience within purchasing, procurement or a comparable role.
• Experience managing priorities, working to deadlines and responding effectively to multiple demands.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build productive relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Confident negotiation and problem‑solving ability, with a positive approach to resolving issues.
• Proficient administration, numerical and organisational skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Previous experience working with ERP systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with working knowledge of PowerPoint and Outlook.
• A collaborative team player who is approachable, open, honest and willing to take responsibility.
• Enthusiastic and assertive, with the ability to work effectively under pressure.
• A continuous‑improvement mindset and willingness to drive positive change.

Desirable

• CIPS Level 4 qualification or currently working towards it.
• Previous aerospace or aviation industry experience.
• Experience procuring aircraft spares, raw materials and chemicals.

Why Join Draken?

At Draken, you'll be part of a team delivering world‑class adversary air and mission training capabilities to military customers worldwide. You'll have the opportunity to work on innovative technologies, influence future capability development and collaborate with some of the industry's leading engineers and operational specialists.

Our employee values

Draken is committed to eliminating unlawful and unfair discrimination and we celebrate the differences that a diverse workforce brings. A range of perspective and talent supports our values and drives our success, with a mix of voices generating better discussions, business decisions and outcomes for all.

At all our sites internationally, every member of the Draken team is accountable to ensure that we are all treated fairly and with respect.

We are also an Armed Forces friendly organisation, and as part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, welcome applications from veterans and services spouses and partners who met the criteria in our job specifications.

In line with our Disability Confident Commitments, we provide reasonable adjustments to facilitate our interview process, please liaise with us if any reasonable adjustments are required.

Whether it is adversarial support, electronic attack or customised rotary‑wing training, we offer the most accurate and advanced readiness training in the industry. Our vast, differentiated fleet, cutting edge hardware and experienced instructors are engaged to help your mission take off.

Being ready is not only a matter of when. But where. We provide services in the UK, US and across the NATO countries. Making sure that our allies can manoeuvre around defeat and prepare to prevail.