SENIOR BUYER

KNDS DEFENCE UK LIMITED; Stockport; Presencial; GBP 50.000 - 60.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Competitive salary

Attractive pension

Half-day Friday

Life assurance

Sick pay scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Additional holidays

Wellbeing initiatives

Cycle to work

On-site car parking

EV charging points

Descripción de la vacante

KNDS UK is seeking a Senior Buyer to own categories and suppliers, embedding an agile, sustainable supply chain for the Boxer and Bridge projects. You will lead supplier relationships across the UK/Europe, source materials, and manage contracts and performance with governance in mind.

The role requires procurement experience in engineering/manufacturing, strong Excel data analysis skills, and a track record of delivering cost savings while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Formación

• Proven supply chain / procurement experience.
• Background in engineering/manufacturing environments.
• Proficient with Excel for data analysis reports.

Responsabilidades

• Own specified categories and suppliers to embed an agile, sustainable supply chain.
• Create RFIs/RFQs to support international campaigns and spares packages.
• Source goods or services and award contracts based on quality, cost and delivery.
• Develop strategic supplier relationships and regular communications.
• Negotiate terms to meet budget and programme requirements.
• Drive cost savings and risk mitigation across the supply chain.
• Coordinate between KNDS and suppliers on delivery and performance.
• Monitor supplier performance metrics and drive improvements.

Conocimientos

Supply Chain

Procurement

Excel

Data analysis

Educación

GCSE English and Maths (grade C/5 or higher)

Herramientas

Excel

Descripción del empleo

We are currently looking for a Senior Buyer

With over a century of engineering expertise and innovation, KNDS UK is a renowned world leader in rapidly deployable military bridging systems and a key partner in the UK MoD’s Boxer armoured vehicle programme.
We are proud of our heritage and our reputation of providing the highest quality engineering solutions for over 100 years. As a trusted partner to military customers around the world, our employees are the very heart of our company. We have a skilled and experienced workforce dedicated to achieving excellence in all areas of the business from Engineering to Project Management, Business Support to Operations.
As our business evolves, we are looking to strengthen our workforce with talented and motivated individuals across a range of disciplines to work from our Northwest Engineering Centre of Excellence and currently have this opportunity available:

About the role:

The primary purpose of this role is to own specified categories and suppliers to define and embed an agile and sustainable supply chain that supports the production ramp-up of the Boxer and Bridge Manufacturing Programmes. The candidate will have the responsibility for development of several strategic supplier relationships across the UK and Europe, ensuring delivery of technically compliant materials and services in a timely manner. The job entails the ownership of all aspects of procurement from sourcing and contracting the supplier, through to supplier management and facilitating resolution of any supply constraints with internal and external stakeholders, always compliant to formal governance.

Key duties include, but are not limited to:

• Working within the strategic Procurement function to develop and deliver strategy for high value materials and critical suppliers (in UK and Europe), for on time delivery of technically compliant materials and services.
• Creation of Procurement inputs such as Requests for Information (RFIs) and Requests for Quotation (RFQs), in support of international bid campaigns and spares packages.
• Timely sourcing of goods or services and placement of commercial award, following evaluation of supplier proposals to formalise supplier selection based on quality, cost and delivery performance.
• Develop and maintain strategic supplier relationships and regular communication.
• Supplier negotiations to achieve best pricing / costs, lead time and commercial terms, ensuring alignment to budget and programme requirements.
• Actively seek to deliver significant savings and cost avoidance.
• Facilitation of problem escalation and resolution including supplier payment, technical, quality and delivery escalation issues. Working cross functionally and acting as the prime coordinator between KNDS and suppliers.
• Manage supplier relationships and facilitate supplier reviews ensuring all reports and actions formalised and followed through both from the supplier and internal departments.
• Validate and monitor supplier performance metrics. Actively drive supplier improvement activity, where metrics are not consistent and / or acceptable.
• Identify and manage supply chain risks, proactively leading and supporting mitigation activity – recognise and respond to external factors with the potential to impact the supply chain.
• Working with Programme Management, Systems Engineering and Configuration Management to ensure BoM and schedule alignment.
• Categorising part portfolios for commodity resourcing for cost saving projects.
• Represent procurement at project meetings.
• Ensure design modifications, obsolescence and equipment development programmes are managed within the agreed project timescales and budget.
• Align with the wider KNDS group procurement function and key partners to determine joint purchasing strategy and to ensure competitive commercial positions on current and future bids.

What we’re looking for:

Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Minimum of grade 5 or C in English and Maths at GCSE
• Proven Supply Chain / Procurement experienced
• Background of Procurement experience within an engineering and manufacturing environment
• Proficient and fully conversant with Microsoft Excel, with the ability to manipulate data and spreadsheets to produce data analysis reports.

Why you should join us:

When you become part of the KNDS UK team, you will enjoy employee benefits such as:

• Competitive salary
• Attractive pension (4% employee contribution, 7% employer contribution)
• Half-day Friday
• Life assurance scheme
• Company sick pay scheme which increases with service
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Additional Holidays & other Long Service rewards
• Wellbeing initiatives, such as Free Fruit on Tuesday’s
• Cycle to work Scheme
• Free on-site car parking
• On-site electric vehicle charging points

We’re also very proud to be part of the Armed Forces Covenant since 2018, achieving their Silver Award in 2020 and Gold Award in 2024. We actively support and encourage service leavers, reservists and cadets to join our team, recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process.