Job Details Lead Buyer - Indirect Procurement Professional Services R30566

MBDA S.A.S.; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace and defense company seeks a Lead Buyer to implement procurement strategies for professional services. The role involves engaging with stakeholders, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring competitive sourcing from suppliers. Ideal candidates will have proven procurement experience and excellent stakeholder management skills. This position offers a salary of circa £50,000 and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Company bonus: Up to £2,500

Pension: up to 14% total contribution

Flexi Leave: up to 15 additional days

Enhanced parental leave: up to 26 weeks

On-site facilities and other lifestyle benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience in procurement or category management, preferably within professional services categories.
• Strong knowledge of the end-to-end procurement process.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to gather business needs.
• Draft clear, detailed statements of work.
• Manage competitive tendering processes and evaluate supplier bids.

Skills

Procurement experience

Stakeholder management

Supplier management

Contract negotiation

Attention to detail

Job description

Overview

As a Lead Buyer you will focus on working closely with internal stakeholders to implement our professional services procurement strategies.>Particular categories will depend on your experience and career aspirations. The professional services team is responsible for Consultancy Services, Learning & Development, Employee Benefits, HR Services, Engineering/technical services, and Services Procurement. You will work within our Indirect Procurement team and support our stakeholders by understanding their requirements and translating these into detailed statements of work, ensuring competitive sourcing from suppliers. The role will require active engagement with stakeholders based in Bristol and Stevenage.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand and gather business needs for outsourced specialist engineering services.
• With internal stakeholders, seek opportunities to implement fixed price contract models.
• Work closely with technical teams and project managers to capture specific requirements.
• Draft clear, detailed, and precise statements of work that reflect business needs and performance outcomes.
• Manage competitive tendering processes, evaluate supplier bids, and lead supplier selection.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure continuous improvement and innovation.
• Monitor supplier performance, resolve issues, and identify opportunities for cost savings and process efficiencies.
• Ensure all procurement activities comply with company policies and legal requirements.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the sourcing process, including cost reduction, quality improvements, and process efficiency.
• Stay updated on market trends, new suppliers, and innovative solutions in engineering services.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in procurement or category management, preferably within professional services categories.
• Good knowledge of professional services marketplace, including relevant legislation.
• Strong knowledge of the end-to-end procurement process, in particular with writing statements of work, applying different commercial models to suit requirements, and leading competitive tendering.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage and influence cross-functional teams, and translate high-level outline requirements into contract deliverables.
• High attention to detail, with the ability to write clear and concise technical documents.
• Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders, and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of supplier management, contract negotiation, and risk mitigation.
• Experience in working within a large engineering or technical organisation.

Benefits & Additional Information

• Salary: Circa £50,000 depending on experience
• Dynamic (hybrid) working: 2-3 days per week on-site due to workload classification
• Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship
• Company bonus: Up to £2,500 (based on company performance)
• Pension: up to 14% total contribution (employer + employee)
• Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime
• Flexi Leave: up to 15 additional days
• Flexible working: options for flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced parental leave: up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• On-site facilities and other lifestyle benefits