Senior Buyer - Siteworks & Operations

Rolls-Royce SMR; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 44,600 - 55,125; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus: Up to 12.5% (performance related)

Personal Benefits Allowance: £2,200

Pension: 12% employer / 6% employee

Holidays: 28 days + public holidays

Private Medical Insurance: BUPA

Life Assurance: 6× pensionable pay

Home Office Support: £250 one-off payment

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR is seeking a Procurement professional to develop and implement sourcing strategies and lead procurement activities. This role, based in Derby, Manchester, or Warrington, demands a strong understanding of commercial frameworks and stakeholder engagement.

The ideal candidate will have proven procurement experience and skills in managing complex supplier relationships. A competitive salary ranges from £44,600 to £55,125, complemented by a performance-related bonus and a personal benefits allowance.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in procurement across siteworks, operations, infrastructure or construction-related environments.
• Strong commercial acumen with hands-on experience delivering competitive tenders and negotiating supplier agreements.
• Ability to work across technical and commercial interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sourcing and category strategies.
• Lead end-to-end procurement activity including tender evaluation and contract award.
• Manage supplier performance and identify continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Procurement experience

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Education

MCIPS (or working towards)

Job description

Our mission is to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Rolls‑Royce SMR provides a British solution to a global energy challenge, leading the way in Small Modular Reactor technology and shaping the UK’s premier green export opportunity. Our Procurement function plays a critical role in building the supply chain capability required to deliver our first‑of‑a‑kind SMR and future global fleet. Within this, Siteworks & Operations procurement is key to enabling site readiness, infrastructure delivery and operational capability across our programme.

We’ll Need You To

• Develop and implement sourcing and category strategies aligned to programme cost, schedule and quality requirements.
• Lead end‑to‑end procurement activity including pre‑qualification, RFx processes, tender evaluation, negotiation and contract award.
• Build and manage a resilient and scalable supply base across siteworks, infrastructure, enabling works and operational services.
• Work collaboratively with cross‑functional stakeholders to shape requirements and influence early‑stage design and delivery decisions.
• Provide clear commercial insight, translating technical and market information into robust recommendations.
• Ensure governance, compliance and documentation standards are consistently applied across procurement activities.
• Manage supplier performance, identifying risks, opportunities and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support the development of procurement processes, tools and ways of working as the function scales.

You’ll Bring

• Proven experience in procurement across siteworks, operations, infrastructure or construction‑related environments.
• Strong commercial acumen with hands‑on experience delivering competitive tenders and negotiating supplier agreements.
• Experience working in complex, regulated or safety‑critical industries such as energy, nuclear, infrastructure, aerospace or defence.
• Ability to work across technical and commercial interfaces, including cost, programme and supply chain considerations.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence a wide range of audiences.
• Excellent communication skills, able to present complex information clearly and concisely.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word.
• MCIPS (or working towards) is desirable.

Location & Ways of Working

This role can be based from our Derby, Manchester or Warrington offices, with hybrid working and regular engagement with stakeholders and suppliers.

Salary

The salary for this role is £44,600 – £55,125, dependent on the skills, experience and values you bring.

You’ll Also Receive

• Bonus: Up to 12.5% (performance related)
• Personal Benefits Allowance: £2,200
• Pension: 12% employer / 6% employee
• Holidays: 28 days + public holidays (option to buy/sell up to 4 days)
• Private Medical Insurance: BUPA
• Life Assurance: 6× pensionable pay
• Home Office Support: £250 one‑off payment for new starters

What’s In It for You?

• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
• A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.