Senior Buyer - Powertrain

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Structured career development frame­w​

25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday; +

Enhanced company pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance and health/​

Life assurance

Sabbatical after two years

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

McLaren Automotive in the UK seeks an experienced Senior Procurement professional to lead supplier strategy and negotiations for engine commodities within a fast‑moving, high‑tech manufacturing environment. You will manage multimillion‑pound portfolios and mentor junior buyers, while driving cost‑down initiatives and cross‑functional collaboration.

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, you will influence engineering, ensure on‑time delivery, and support best‑in‑class performance across

Qualifications

• Ability to lead negotiations and support teams on large, complex projects.
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills.
• Engine Commodity Experience required.
• Proven automotive and manufacturing procurement experience preferred.
• Strong organisational skills with deadline adherence and accuracy.
• Excellent communication, written and oral.
• Calm under pressure with decisive action.

Responsibilities

• Manage multimillion pound portfolios.
• Coordinate and autonomously nominate suppliers and set long-term strategies.
• Manage supplier contracts and commercial negotiations.
• Resolve critical supply issues and report to the project team.
• Minimise costs, project risks, and supplier-related threats to delivery.
• Drive cost-down and VA/VE activities with suppliers.
• Lead pre-launch supplier management for series production readiness.
• Develop supplier evaluation methods and drive performance improvements.
• Drive timely, comprehensive parts requirements aligned to lead times.
• Execute management reporting and develop operating systems.
• Budget control of cost centres.
• Mentor buyers and foster cross-functional collaboration.
• Engage with Engineering as a key stakeholder and influence outcomes.
• Set clear objectives and monitor supplier and function performance.

Skills

Negotiation leadership

Influencing skills

Supplier management

Cost reduction

Planning & organisation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

MCIPS qualification

Job description

What to Expect

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, this is an exciting and unique opportunity to join McLaren Automotive’s Purchasing team. This is an exciting opening to join an exclusive automotive environment which is undergoing a transformation and rapid growth in response to its critically acclaimed global products and best‑in‑class performance.

What You'll Do

• Management of multimillion pound portfolios.
• Co‑ordination and full autonomy for supplier nomination and long‑term strategies within a chosen function group.
• Manage Supplier contracts and commercial negotiations.
• Effective resolution of all critical supply issues and status reporting to the project team.
• Minimisation and mitigation of costs, project risks, negative relationships with suppliers and threats to the organisation’s ability to design, develop and manufacture products on time, to cost and at the required quality standards.
• Driving cost‑down activities with suppliers and VA/VE activities. Utilising known and robust commercial tools (e.g. cost estimating processes, benchmarking activities etc.)
• Lead pre‑launch supplier management activities to ensure readiness for series production.
• Development of supplier evaluation methods and driving performance improvement initiatives.
• Driving all areas of the business to submit timely, comprehensive parts requirements in line with supplier lead‑times.
• Execution of management reporting.
• Configuration and development of business operating systems to ensure effective working methods.
• Budgetary control of all associated cost centres.
• Managing People:
• Represent your function group at programme gateways and cost workshops.
• Mentor buyers within the team sharing best practice and encouraging development in others.
• Supporting and foster a cross‑functional approach to achieve your objectives.
• Engage with Engineering so that you are seen as a key stakeholder and able to exert influence.
• Setting of clear objectives and monitor performance of your suppliers and other functions within the organisation.

What You'll Bring

• Ability to lead negotiations and support teams in the development of negotiations strategies for large and complex projects
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills
• Engine Commodity Experience required
• Demonstrable commercial success within an Automotive and / or manufacturing environment is desired, but willing to consider all industries with the right competencies gained.
• Excellent organisational skills, deadline adherence and exceptional attention to accuracy and detail.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Able to act under pressure with calmness, clarity of thought and decisive authority.
• The determination to drive forward the business to ‘Best in Class’ performance standards.
• Must be capable of lateral thinking and be able to make structured and objective decisions.
• Able to demonstrate a methodical approach towards problem solving.
• A high level of self‑motivation to overcome obstacles
• Results driven and the ability to deliver against aggressive targets to achieve the overall business objectives
• A flexible approach to working hours and practices is necessary
• Experience of launch management / new model integration
• Ability to play a lead role in contract implementation and management
• Good working knowledge of manufacturing and quality processes
• Proven supply chain management and procurement experience, dealing with both small and large value organisations
• MCIPS qualified
• Previous direct procurement experience in a relevant industry
• Have completed a minimum of two new product introduction cycles

What We'll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath‑taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.