Category Manager - Precision Manufacturing & Composites

Enterprise Recruitment Ltd; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Enterprise Recruitment Ltd in Cambridge seeks a procurement professional to own sourcing strategy across precision machined components, fabrication and composites. You will collaborate with design, manufacturing and quality teams to ensure suppliers can support both NPI and ramped production in a fast-growing engineering environment.

Based at a state-of-the-art facility with global supplier engagement, you will lead supplier strategy, build relationships and drive commercial performance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within procurement, category management or supplier management in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of precision machining, fabrication or composite manufacturing processes.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications and manufacturing requirements.
• Experience developing supplier relationships and delivering sourcing strategies.
• Previous management or leadership experience within procurement or supply chain functions.

Responsibilities

• Own sourcing strategy across precision machined components, fabricated assemblies, composite parts, tooling and specialist manufacturing processes.
• Lead supplier strategy, build and develop new supplier relationships, and drive commercial performance.
• Shape and deliver the procurement strategy for New Product Introduction (NPI), supporting the transition to production and scale-up.
• Engage with a global supplier base to ensure capability, capacity and commercial competitiveness.
• Travel occasionally to supplier locations, typically once or twice per month.

Skills

Supplier management

Sourcing strategy

Category management

Stakeholder engagement

Precision manufacturing knowledge

Job description

This role will own the sourcing strategy across precision machined components, fabricated assemblies, composite parts, tooling, and specialist manufacturing processes. Working closely with Design, Manufacturing and Quality teams, you'll help ensure the supply base can support both new product development and increased production volumes.

You will be joining one of Europe's fastest-growing engineering start-ups, offering an agile, entrepreneurial environment with minimal bureaucracy and the freedom to shape and implement new strategies around cutting-edge technologies. Based at a state-of-the-art facility, you will have access to multi-million-pound resources, world-class engineering capabilities and the infrastructure needed to turn innovative ideas into reality.

The position offers significant autonomy and requires someone who can lead supplier strategy, build and develop new supplier relationships, and drive commercial performance across a technically complex supply chain. You will also play a key role in shaping and delivering the procurement strategy for New Product Introduction (NPI), supporting the transition of products from prototype and development stages through to production and future scale-up.

The role involves engaging with a global supplier base, identifying and developing strategic manufacturing partners, and ensuring suppliers have the technical capability, capacity and commercial competitiveness to support business growth. Candidates should therefore bring a strong understanding of the precision manufacturing and composites supply markets, established industry knowledge and existing supplier relationships, alongside demonstrable experience engaging with suppliers to support products through prototype, development and early-stage manufacturing.

This is an ideal opportunity for a procurement professional who thrives in a fast-paced engineering environment, enjoys working with emerging technologies and is motivated by scaling production, solving complex supply chain challenges and building high-performing global supplier networks.

The role will be primarily site-based, with occasional travel to supplier locations, typically once or twice per month.

Key Requirements:

• Significant experience within procurement, category management or supplier management in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of precision machining, fabrication or composite manufacturing processes.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications and manufacturing requirements.
• Experience developing supplier relationships and delivering sourcing strategies.
• Previous management or leadership experience within procurement or supply chain functions.