Commodity Buyer

McLaren Racing; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Enhanced company pension

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Discretionary annual bonus

Wellbeing programmes

Sabbatical after 2 years

Career development opportunities

Job summary

McLaren Racing is seeking a Commodity Buyer to negotiate and manage production supplier contracts for direct materials at our Sheffield site, collaborating with Engineering and Supplier Quality to balance technology, cost, quality and supply chain performance.

You will lead sourcing activities, develop supplier strategies, and assess supplier performance to meet program targets for timing, cost and quality. Travel to MTC and MCC locations is expected as part of the role.

Qualifications

• Degree in Business, Engineering, or related field preferred; MCIPS qualification desirable.
• Previous purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment (automotive preferred).
• Solid experience in procurement or commodity buying.
• Experience in developing structured commodity strategies, including risk and cost assessments.
• Some experience negotiating complex contracts.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to influence at senior management level.
• Good understanding of cost breakdown analysis.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and manage production supplier contracts for assigned commodities.
• Mitigate cost increases and drive cost reduction initiatives within scope.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Supplier Quality to develop and implement sourcing strategies.
• Conduct supplier assessments and coordinate sourcing recommendations.
• Ensure suppliers meet program targets for timing, cost, quality, and technical attributes.
• Serve as the focal point for SRM activities with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Support risk assessment, total acquisition cost analysis, and cross-functional alignment on technical, commercial, and quality criteria.

Job description

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, the Commodity Buyer is responsible for negotiating and managing supplier contracts to support the procurement of all direct materials required for in-house manufacturing at our Sheffield facility. The role involves leading sourcing activities and developing supplier strategies in collaboration with Engineering and Supplier Quality, ensuring McLaren leverages the optimum balance of technology, cost, quality, and supply chain performance to support current operations and the future success of the company. What You’ll Do The Commodity Buyer is accountable for the following key activities:

• Negotiate and manage production supplier contracts for assigned commodities.
• Mitigate cost increases and drive cost reduction initiatives within scope.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Supplier Quality to develop and implement sourcing strategies.
• Conduct supplier assessments and coordinate sourcing recommendations.
• Ensure suppliers meet program targets for timing, cost, quality, and technical attributes.
• Serve as the focal point for Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) activities with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Support risk assessment, total acquisition cost analysis, and cross-functional alignment on technical, commercial, and quality criteria.

Qualifications

• Degree in Business, Engineering, or related field preferred; MCIPS qualification desirable.
• Previous purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment (automotive preferred).
• Solid experience in procurement or commodity buying.
• Experience in developing structured commodity strategies, including risk and cost assessments.
• Some experience negotiating complex contracts.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to influence at senior management level.
• Good understanding of cost breakdown analysis.

Personal Attributes / Competencies

• Analytical mindset and attention to detail.
• Ability to build strong supplier relationships.
• Collaborative approach with cross-functional teams.
• Eagerness to learn and develop within the procurement function.

Location: Sheffield This role is based at our Sheffield facility and supports the procurement of direct materials for in-house manufacturing operations. Regular travel to either McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking or McLaren Creation Centre (MCC) in Bicester is required, with a minimum attendance of two days per month as standard. To support onboarding and development, the successful candidate will be required to complete an initial two-week training period at MTC in Woking to gain a comprehensive understanding of McLaren’s procurement processes, systems and ways of working. Additional travel may be required from time to time to support business needs, supplier visits and cross-functional activities.

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars. It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.

What We’ll Do for You

We offer a wide - ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice