Senior Buyer

Melbreck Technical Recruitment; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 5% discretionary bonus

Private medical cover

Pension matched up to 8%

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a Senior Buyer and Category Specialist to drive category strategies and supplier negotiations in Maidenhead. The ideal candidate has 5-7 years in procurement, strong analytical skills, and a Bachelor's in a related field. This full-time role offers career growth and benefits including a discretionary bonus and private medical cover.

Qualifications

• 5 to 7 years’ experience in procurement strategic sourcing.
• Strong understanding of strategic sourcing methodologies and supplier relationship management.
• Experience in improving a complex supply chain.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement long-term category strategies.
• Conduct market analysis and supplier assessments.
• Lead RFx processes and supplier negotiations.

Skills

Procurement strategic sourcing

Contract management

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering

MBA or related certification (e.g., CIPS, CPM)

Job description

Job Title

Senior Buyer and Category Specialist – Maidenhead

Overview

Senior Buyer and Category Specialist role within a leading designer and manufacturer of special purpose electro-mechanical and electronic equipment, based near Maidenhead. The role supports expansion and succession planning for the next two to three years and offers excellent career prospects within the business’s growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement long-term category strategies to achieve cost savings, improve quality, improve on-time delivery and reduce supply risk.
• Conduct market analysis, benchmarking, and supplier assessments to identify sourcing opportunities, including supplier rationalisation.
• Lead RFx processes (RFI, RFP, RFQ), supplier negotiations, cross-functional supplier selection, and contract negotiation/execution for strategic spend categories.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal stakeholders to understand needs and align procurement strategies.
• Support the Procurement Manager to manage supplier performance.
• Monitor industry trends, supply chain risks, and market changes that may influence sourcing plans.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and develop KPIs, dashboards, and reports to track category performance.
• Identify opportunities for sustainability, innovation, and cost optimisation.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, industry regulations, and ethical standards.

Candidate Requirements

• At least 5 to 7 years’ experience in procurement strategic sourcing.
• Strong understanding of strategic sourcing methodologies, contract management, and supplier relationship management.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation (especially around contracts and framework agreements), and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field; MBA or related certification (e.g., CIPS, CPM) is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience of supporting the development and improvement of a complex supply chain within an engineering and manufacturing environment.
• Exposure to the aerospace/defence market would be an advantage.
• Experience in working within MRP environments.

Benefits

• Up to 5% discretionary bonus
• Private medical cover
• Pension matched up to 8%

This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a forward-thinking business that can offer excellent career growth opportunities.

If you are interested in this role, please Apply Now.

Job Details

• Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Supply Chain
• Industries: Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing, Defense and Space Manufacturing, and Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing

Referral information and location data were included in the original listing but are not essential to the role description here.