Senior Procurement Manager

MBDA S.A.S.; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence organisation is seeking a Senior Procurement Manager to lead a small team in managing supplier relationships and contracts. Responsibilities include developing procurement strategies, providing commercial advice, and ensuring supplier performance. The ideal candidate should have strong experience in subcontract management and negotiation. The role offers a competitive salary of £50,000 - £55,000, with flexible working arrangements and attractive benefits, including a company bonus and pension contributions.

Benefits

Company Bonus of up to 21%

Maximum 14% pension contribution

Flexible working arrangements

Enhanced parental leave

Subsidised meals and free car parking

Qualifications

• Experience working collaboratively with international suppliers.
• Proven evidence of innovation and standard methodology implementation.
• Ability to analyse and communicate different possibilities.

Responsibilities

• Crafting a clear vision for the team and Procurement Strategy.
• Leading a team to achieve company and project objectives.
• Handling major supplier relationships and lead negotiations.

Skills

Commercial mentorship

Subcontract Management

Negotiation skills

Problem solving

Team management

Relationship management

Education

Business subject area

Procurement or supply chain accreditations

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Procurement Manager to pro‑actively lead a small team of procurement professionals who, in turn, lead multiple critical supplier work packages such as Rocket Motors, Launchers, Warheads, Seeker Systems and much more! As a Senior Procurement Manager, you will be empowered to ensure suppliers perform their contractual obligations in order to maintain MBDA's ability to meet its customer delivery landmarks and the MEP team are given the right support and tools to enable this to happen. You will lead a small team that are accountable for a portfolio of sophisticated sub‑system equipment, services or technology suppliers, focussing on acquiring Value for Money (VfM) solutions, drafting and negotiating subcontracts and, once on contract, managing supplier programmes and subcontracts. You will establish effective relationships, at all levels, to embed collaborative working within both MBDA multifunctional project teams and the supplier's organisation, ensuring the selected solution is developed and delivered by the supplier to meet MBDA needs. Key aspects of the role involve:

Responsibilities

• Crafting a clear vision for the team and Procurement Strategy.
• Providing Commercial/Contractual advice, mentorship (including advice on export control, Offset, Industrial Participation and Intellectual Property) and support to team members and internal customers.
• Synthesise multiple, often sophisticated inputs to establish direction and sustain value‑added activities.
• Lead a team to ensure they are effectively directed at achievement of company and project objectives.
• Handling major supplier relationships and lead negotiations across platforms and programmes.
• Provide advice and guidance on high‑risk suppliers to Senior Management.

Qualifications

• Experience of providing commercial mentorship and working collaboratively with international suppliers.
• Strong experience in Subcontract Management.
• Ability to negotiate and knowledge of terms and conditions.
• Proven evidence of innovation and implementation of standard methodology.
• Qualified in a business subject area, procurement or supply chain accreditations or equivalent experience.
• Problem solving in an exciting commercial environment.
• Reporting and co‑operation with internal and external collaborators.
• Ability to influence and manage multiple relationships.
• Analysing situations and being adept at understanding and communicating different possibilities, balancing risk.
• Team management/leadership experience.

Benefits

• Company Bonus: Bonus of up to 21% of base salary.
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%.
• Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements.
• Enhanced parental leave: up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, with enhancements available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments.
• Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more.

Salary and Working Arrangements

Salary: Circa £50,000 - £55,000 depending on experience. Dynamic (hybrid) working: 2–3 days per week on‑site due to workload classification. Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

About MBDA

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom. We are proud of our employee‑led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more… We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information, Together. For the future of defence. We work with purpose, knowing that every advancement provides better, smarter and more effective defence capabilities to the UK and their allies. Regarded as one of the most trusted suppliers of defence solutions in Europe, we have a relationship with the UK military spanning back over 70 years. Whether it's designing a future concept for the British Army, managing the procurement of a missile component or harnessing their expertise in software in order to integrate one of our products on to the newest fighter jet, all of our employees are a part of delivering a more secure tomorrow.