Operational Buyer

Vertical Aerospace; West of England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days holiday, plus bank holiday

5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)

5 extra days holiday when you get marr

Additional 4% of your salary for extra

Award‑winning digital health and well‑

Company performance based bonus

Company Share Scheme

Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we m

Breakfast on us, every day

Job summary

Vertical Aerospace is seeking an Operational Buyer to anchor procurement activities, coordinating with suppliers and cross‑functional teams to ensure parts and materials arrive on time, at cost and at quality.

You will manage day‑to‑day purchase orders, troubleshoot issues, and help maintain a smooth supply chain in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Experience using ERP systems to manage purchasing (Infor experience is a plus).
• Good understanding of supply chain or manufacturing environments.
• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Comfortable working with data and maintaining accurate records.
• A responsive, can-do approach to shifting priorities and tight timelines.
• Clear and confident communicator with both internal teams and suppliers.
• A problem-solver who can stay calm under pressure.
• Prior experience in a purchasing or operational role.
• Background in business, supply chain, or engineering is helpful but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Raise and manage purchase orders based on demand signals.
• Track and maintain order book accuracy to ensure on-time delivery.
• Proactively expedite, reschedule, or adjust orders to respond to changing needs.
• Resolve issues related to delivery, quantity, or invoice mismatches.
• Act as the main point of contact for a set of operational suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance and follow up on late deliveries.
• Support onboarding and compliance checks for new suppliers.
• Keep purchasing data accurate and up to date in our ERP system.
• Work closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to resolve supply issues.

Skills

ERP systems

Supply chain knowledge

Attention to detail

Data management

Communication

Problem solving

Purchasing/operational experience

Engineering or business background (re

Tools

Infor ERP

Job description

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take‑off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky.

We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner‑level safety certification in 2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

What To Expect

As an Operational Buyer, you'll be at the heart of our fast‑moving procurement activities. Reporting into the Operational Buyer Team Lead you'll work closely with suppliers and cross‑functional teams to ensure the right parts and materials are available at the right time, cost, and quality.

Expect to manage day‑to‑day purchase orders, solve problems quickly, and play a key role in keeping our supply chain running smoothly.

What You’ll Do

• Raise and manage purchase orders based on demand signals
• Track and maintain order book accuracy to ensure on‑time delivery
• Proactively expedite, reschedule, or adjust orders to respond to changing needs
• Resolve issues related to delivery, quantity, or invoice mismatches
• Act as the main point of contact for a set of operational suppliers
• Monitor supplier performance and follow up on late deliveries
• Support onboarding and compliance checks for new suppliers
• Keep purchasing data accurate and up to date in our ERP system
• Work closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to resolve supply issues

What You’ll Bring

• Experience using ERP systems to manage purchasing (Infor experience is a plus)
• Good understanding of supply chain or manufacturing environments
• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills
• Comfortable working with data and maintaining accurate records
• A responsive, can‑do approach to shifting priorities and tight timelines
• Clear and confident communicator with both internal teams and suppliers
• A problem‑solver who can stay calm under pressure
• Prior experience in a purchasing or operational role
• Background in business, supply chain, or engineering is helpful but not essential

What can you expect from us?

We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career.

Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal.

We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding.

Our Benefits

Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.

• 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday
• 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)
• 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership
• Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits
• Award‑winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand)
• Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance
• Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee
• Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it
• Breakfast on us, every day

Disclaimer Statement

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.