Procurement Manager

Guidant Global; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 79,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

AALTO is seeking an experienced Procurement Manager in Farnborough, offering hybrid working and a 37-hour week. You will lead procurement across direct and indirect spend, shaping sourcing strategies and building strong supplier partnerships to support manufacturing and certification milestones within a high-tech aerospace environment.

You will collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance and Legal, driving commercial excellence and governance while advancing supplier capability

Qualifications

• Experience in procurement leadership, strategic sourcing and SRM.
• Proven experience across direct and indirect procurement.
• Strong stakeholder management with senior leaders.
• Experience with complex tenders, negotiations and contract management.
• Knowledge of ISO9001/EN9100 or similar standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement procurement strategies supporting programme delivery, certification milestones, industrialisation and operational objectives.
• Lead sourcing across aerospace, engineering, IT and indirect categories.
• Create category strategies, roadmaps and supplier segmentation plans.
• Negotiate and manage supplier contracts and pricing structures.
• Establish supplier performance frameworks with KPIs.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Supplier relationship management

Stakeholder management

Tenders & negotiations

Contract management

ERP procurement platforms

Education

Degree-level education in SCM/Engineering/Business/Finance

CIPS qualification (desirable)

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

Procurement Manager Location: Farnborough, Hampshire (Hybrid Working) Rate: £41.10 per hour PAYE | £55.00 per hour Umbrella Contract: 6 Months (with potential for extension) Hours: 37 hours per week Security Clearance: BPSS (completed by AALTO) Right to Work: Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. This is your opportunity to join an ambitious organisation at a pivotal stage of growth and industrialisation, helping to unlock the potential of a brand-new aerospace frontier.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Procurement Manager to lead and develop procurement activities across both direct and indirect spend categories. Reporting to the VP of Procurement, you will play a key role in shaping sourcing strategies, strengthening supplier partnerships and driving commercial excellence across the business. Working closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Programme Management, Quality, Finance, Legal, IT and Operations teams, you will ensure AALTO has the robust supply chain, commercial governance and supplier capability required to support continued growth, aircraft certification and large-scale manufacturing operations. This role offers the chance to make a visible impact in a fast-paced, high-technology environment where innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything we do.

Key Responsibilities

As Procurement Manager, you will:

• Develop and implement procurement strategies that support programme delivery, certification milestones, industrialisation and operational objectives.
• Lead sourcing activity across a diverse portfolio, including aerospace commodities, engineering services, facilities, IT, professional services and other indirect categories.
• Create category strategies, sourcing roadmaps and supplier segmentation plans that balance cost, quality, delivery performance and risk.
• Manage end-to-end tendering, RFx processes, supplier selection exercises and commercial negotiations.
• Negotiate and manage supplier contracts, framework agreements, pricing structures and statements of work to protect and enhance business value.
• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Quality and Engineering teams to ensure procurement activities meet regulatory and governance requirements.
• Establish and manage supplier performance frameworks, including KPIs covering cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness and continuous improvement.
• Support supplier readiness, capacity planning and industrialisation programmes as AALTO transitions into repeatable manufacturing operations.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, including long lead times, single-source dependencies, financial risks and regulatory challenges.
• Drive improvements in procurement processes, systems, reporting and data quality.
• Partner with Finance and programme teams to support cost reduction initiatives, budget control and forecasting activities.
• Lead, coach and develop procurement team members, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and professional growth.
• Represent Procurement in cross-functional leadership forums and contribute to strategic decision-making.

About You

You're looking for a commercially focused procurement professional who can thrive in a dynamic and highly regulated environment. You'll bring:

• Significant experience in procurement leadership, strategic sourcing, category management and supplier relationship management.
• Proven expertise across both direct and indirect procurement categories.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and engage senior leaders across technical and business functions.
• Experience managing complex tenders, supplier negotiations, contract development and contract management activities.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyse supplier proposals, budgets, forecasts and procurement performance metrics.
• Experience within aerospace, defence, aviation, automotive, advanced manufacturing or another complex regulated industry.
• Knowledge of quality and certification frameworks such as ISO9001, EN/AS9100, CAA requirements or similar standards.
• Experience supporting industrialisation programmes, supply chain transformation, ERP implementation or procurement process improvements.
• Degree-level education in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Finance or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• CIPS qualification (desirable).
• Experience using ERP systems such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 or similar procurement and supply chain platforms.

What Sets You Apart

• The ability to navigate complex procurement challenges and deliver practical solutions.
• Strong commercial judgement and negotiation skills.
• A strategic mindset combined with a hands‑on approach.
• The confidence to challenge constructively and influence key stakeholders.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to lead through change.
• A commitment to integrity, continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Why Join AALTO?

Work on truly ground‑breaking aerospace technology. Play a key role in the commercial success Collaborate with highly skilled experts across engineering, manufacturing and programme delivery. Influence strategic procurement decisions across a growing organisation. Develop your career in a business transitioning from development into large-scale industrial operations. Enjoy a hybrid working environment based in Farnborough.