Senior Buyer - Direct

Tekever Corporation; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Pension match up to 10%

25 days annual leave

Private medical insurance

Private dental care

Employee assistance programme

Hybrid working

Salary sacrifice schemes

Job summary

TEKEVER is seeking a Senior Buyer to lead source-to-contract activity for direct spend. This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of an important area of spend, shape commercially intelligent strategies and build supplier partnerships that make a meaningful contribution.

Rather than joining a function where everything is already set in stone, you will have the opportunity to review how things are currently done, bring your own ideas and help shape the future procurement and supply chain

Qualifications

• Experience in direct procurement categories such as raw materials, components, engineered parts, capital equipment or subcontract services.
• Experience developing and executing category or sourcing strategies and running competitive tender processes.
• Experience leading commercial negotiations and agreeing contracts for complex or high value projects.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to constructively challenge requirements.
• Experience of using ERP/MRP systems.
• An understanding of supplier and supply chain risk, including continuity of supply, financial stability, quality and contractual considerations.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy environment.
• Experience managing and developing procurement team members.
• Most importantly, a proactive, inquisitive and critical thinking approach, with the confidence to use initiative.

Responsibilities

• Challenge, clarify and help improve internal specifications and requirements to enable efficient sourcing.
• Lead on commercial negotiations with existing and prospective suppliers, securing outcomes that balance commercial value with quality service or long term strategic benefit.
• Draft, negotiate and finalise supplier contracts, framework agreements and SLAs, ensuring terms protect commercial value and mitigate risk.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for direct spend categories to ensure the most efficient procurement of goods and services at the best total cost of ownership, while safeguarding service, quality, operational continuity and compliance.
• Manage and develop procurement team members (direct reports), providing coaching, mentoring and performance management
• Own supplier relationships, monitor performance and resolve supply or delivery issues.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders across engineering, operations, manufacturing, planning, quality and finance to align sourcing activity with business needs.
• Champion continuous improvement across the function by identifying and delivering opportunities to enhance cost, quality and delivery performance and embedding procurement best practice.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Procurement leadership

Contract drafting

Sourcing strategies

Supplier relationship management

Risk management

Prioritising

Mentoring

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Are you ready to revolutionise the world with TEKEVER?

At TEKEVER, we lead innovation in Europe as the European leader in unmanned technology, where cutting-edge advancements meet unparalleled innovation.

Digital | Defence | Security | Space

We operate across four strategic areas, combining artificial intelligence, systems engineering, data science, and aerospace technology to tackle global challenges — from protecting people and critical infrastructure to exploring space.

We offer a unique surveillance-as-a-service solution that delivers real-time intelligence, enhancing maritime safety and saving lives. Our products and services support strategic and operational decisions in the most demanding environments — whether at sea, on land, in space, or in cyberspace.

Become part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary, and mission-driven team that is transforming maritime surveillance and redefining global safety standards.

At TEKEVER, our mission is to provide limitless support through mission-oriented game-changers, delivering the right information at the right time to empower critical decision-making.

If you're passionate about technology and eager to shape the future — TEKEVER is the place for you.

The Role:

As a Senior Buyer you will lead source to contract activity for direct spend. This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of an important area of spend, shape commercially intelligent strategies and build supplier partnerships that make a meaningful contribution.

Rather than joining a function where everything is already set in stone, you will have the opportunity to review how things are currently done, bring your own ideas and help shape the future procurement and supply chain strategy.

Experience within the engineering, manufacturing, energy, utilities, industrial or wider technical services sectors would be advantageous, although we are equally interested in strong procurement professionals from other relevant environments who can demonstrate transferable experience.

Responsibilities:

• Challenge, clarify and help improve internal specifications and requirements to enable efficient sourcing.
• Lead on commercial negotiations with existing and prospective suppliers, securing outcomes that balance commercial value with quality service or long term strategic benefit.
• Draft, negotiate and finalise supplier contracts, framework agreements and SLAs, ensuring terms protect commercial value and mitigate risk.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for direct spend categories to ensure the most efficient procurement of goods and services at the best total cost of ownership, while safeguarding service, quality, operational continuity and compliance.
• Manage and develop procurement team members (direct reports), providing coaching, mentoring and performance management
• Own supplier relationships, monitor performance and resolve supply or delivery issues.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders across engineering, operations, manufacturing, planning, quality and finance to align sourcing activity with business needs.
• Champion continuous improvement across the function by identifying and delivering opportunities to enhance cost, quality and delivery performance and embedding procurement best practice.

Profile and requirements:

• Experience of direct procurement categories such as raw materials, components, engineered parts, capital equipment or subcontract services.
• Experience developing and executing category or sourcing strategies and running competitive tender processes.
• Experience leading commercial negotiations and agreeing contracts for complex or high value projects.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to constructively challenge requirements.
• Experience of using ERP/MRP systems.
• An understanding of supplier and supply chain risk, including continuity of supply, financial stability, quality and contractual considerations.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy environment.
• Experience managing and developing procurement team members.
• Most importantly, a proactive, inquisitive and critical thinking approach, with the confidence to use initiative.

What we have to offer you:

At TEKEVER, we offer a comprehensive package designed to reward, support, and develop our people. This includes a highly competitive salary with a discretionary annual bonus and a company pension contribution match of up to 10%. To support your wellbeing, we provide 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, Private Medical Insurance (with optional family cover), Private Dental care, and an Employee Assistance Programme.

We are deeply committed to investing in future talent; our scale allows us to provide clear career development opportunities and dedicated initiatives to boost your skill sets, ensuring you remain future-ready for the evolving workplace. Furthermore, our team enjoys a flexible hybrid working model, typically three days a week at our core UK sites like Bristol, and access to a bespoke rewards platform featuring a variety of high street discounts and salary sacrifice schemes, including Electric Car, Cycle to Work, and Technology options.

Do you want to know more about us ?

Visit our LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/tekever/