Commodity Manager

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.; Newton Aycliffe; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Potential annual bonus

25 days holiday

Pension scheme (up to 9%)

Private medical insurance

Personal Accident Insurance

Group Income Protection

Group Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Hitachi Rail UK Limited is seeking a commercially minded procurement professional to manage supplier relationships and negotiate contracts. The role covers developing commodity plans, leading sourcing events and driving value through cost-saving strategies across UK projects.

You will work in a hybrid environment with travel between UK locations as needed, supporting CLM processes and supplier performance reviews to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience negotiating supplier contracts and terms.
• Understanding of contract law and drafting across products/services.
• Strong commercial acumen with cost-saving methods like value engineering.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver commodity plans aligned to category strategy.
• Lead sourcing events including RFX and e-auctions.
• Identify and establish suitable suppliers and lead negotiations.
• Support ERP/MRP vendor set-up and contract handovers.
• Conduct supplier performance and risk reviews and manage value-chain improvements.

Skills

Supplier negotiations

Contract management

SAP proficiency

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel & MS Office

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tools

Job description

Location: Newton Aycliffe, Durham, United Kingdom

Job ID: R0110882

Date Posted: 2026-10-22

Company Name: Hitachi Rail UK Limited

Profession (Job Category): Other

Job Schedule: Full time

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

From engineering new sustainability solutions that conserve water and energy to creating the infrastructure for the smart cities of tomorrow, there’s no challenge too great for our pioneers. And there’s no shortage of opportunities for you to make a difference. Come and experience the dynamic, collaborative and creative environments where your ideas are welcome and new discoveries are waiting. To help you grow to your full potential, we strive to support our employees in their career aspirations and promote the freedom to explore new horizons.

Job Description

• Develop and deliver commodity plans for your portfolio, aligned to the wider category strategy.
• Develop procurement and sourcing strategies for new contract opportunities.
• Identify, assess and establish suitable suppliers.
• Lead sourcing events including RFX and e-auctions.
• Evaluate supplier proposals and provide recommendations to the business.
• Lead commercial negotiations covering contract terms and provisions, through to contract approval and award.
• Support material and vendor set-up within ERP/MRP systems across Hitachi Rail entities.
• Lead contract handovers with Manufacturing, Service & Maintenance teams and Contract Managers.
• Act as an escalation point for contract claims and exceptional cases of supplier non-performance.
• Conduct supplier performance and risk reviews, including financial and capacity considerations.
• Identify and manage value-chain improvement opportunities.
• Work closely with Operational Procurement teams to support the on-time and on-budget delivery of materials and services.

About you

We’re looking for a commercially minded procurement professional who is confident managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts and working across different areas of a complex organisation. You’ll ideally bring:

• Previous commodity management experience, although this doesn’t need to have been gained within the rail industry.
• Experience working within a manufacturing or service & maintenance environment.
• Strong supplier negotiation skills, including negotiating contractual provisions.
• A good understanding of contract law and contract drafting across different products and services.
• Strong commercial acumen and an appreciation of cost-saving methodologies such as value engineering and logistics optimisation.
• Experience of working effectively within cross-functional teams.
• Good working knowledge of SAP, including POs, Material Master, PIR and contract management.
• Experience and understanding of Contract Lifecycle Management tools.
• Good Excel and wider Microsoft Office skills.
• Excellent communication, organisation and stakeholder-management skills.
• A highly organised and methodical approach, with the motivation to work independently and solve problems.
• Flexibility to travel is important. The role can involve travel between UK locations including London and Newton Aycliffe, potentially up to weekly, alongside occasional international travel depending on project requirements.

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• Potential opportunity for annual performance-related bonus
• 25 days holiday
• Pension scheme with contributions up to 9%
• Private medical insurance
• Personal Accident Insurance
• Group Income Protection
• Group Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme

We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

E-mail us for data privacy inquiries or technical support.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone.