Strategic Contract Buyer

Neo Recruitment Ltd; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working conditions

Defence industry exposure

Direct access to leadership

Job summary

Neo Recruitment Ltd is seeking a Strategic Contract Buyer in Leicester to join a growing technical supply chain team. The role blends strategic sourcing with supplier relationship management, focusing on establishing new suppliers, setting up contracts and maintaining them for value.

You will work with a procurement team to deliver best value, negotiate terms, and identify new partners, in a defence-oriented supply chain with room to shape the role as it develops.

Qualifications

• Experience in procurement or sourcing, ideally chemicals, consumables, fasteners or related markets.
• Strategic sourcing or category/commodity management background.
• Experience establishing new suppliers and managing contracts for ongoing value.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier and contract strategy with a small team of buyers.
• Onboard new suppliers and build a strategic market overview.
• Set up and formalise contracts across key suppliers.
• Manage contracts to ensure best value and ongoing performance.
• Introduce and promote contract management concepts across the business.
• Source and procure components for defence programmes.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times and terms with suppliers.
• Identify new supply chain partners to improve service and cost.
• Support compliant, cost-effective sourcing aligned with sector standards.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract management

Supplier onboarding

Negotiation

Account management

Aerospace/defence sector knowledge

Education

CIPS qualification

Job description

Neo is working with a growing technical supply chain business, sourcing key components, adhesives and consumables into the defence sector. As they continue to grow, they are looking for a Strategic Contract Buyer to join their team in Leicester, working alongside an existing procurement team while combining hands-on strategic sourcing with client account management.

The Opportunity

This role sits right at the centre of the business, working amongst a dynamic procurement team at group Head Office who handle day-to-day order processing, while this role focuses on the strategic layer above that: establishing new suppliers, setting up contracts, and managing those contracts on an ongoing basis to make sure best value is genuinely being achieved. This role looks after regular customer contract buying, where regular products are bought to a forecast.

Key Responsibilities

• Work alongside a small team of buyers who process day-to-day orders, providing direction on supplier and contract strategy
• Establish and onboard new suppliers, building a strategic overview of the relevant market
• Set up and formalise contracts across key supplier relationships
• Manage those contracts on an ongoing basis to ensure best value is being received
• Introduce and enhance contract and contract management concepts across the business
• Source and procure key components, adhesives and consumables for defence programmes
• Negotiate pricing, lead times and terms with suppliers and distributors
• Identify potential new supply chain partners to improve service, pricing and supply
• Support compliant, cost-effective sourcing aligned with sector quality standards

What You'll Bring

• Proven experience in procurement or sourcing, ideally covering chemicals, consumables, fasteners, turned parts or similar markets
• A strategic sourcing or category/commodity management background, comfortable building a market-level view rather than working purchase order to purchase order
• Experience establishing new suppliers and setting up, then actively managing, contracts to ensure ongoing value
• Comfortable working alongside a wider buying team while owning the supplier and contract strategy above them
• Comfortable balancing a sourcing remit with client-facing account management or business development
• Experience within, or exposure to, the aerospace and defence sector desirable
• Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills
• Based in or around Leicester, or able to commute comfortably at least 1 day a week
• CIPS qualification or equivalent desirable, but not essential

What This Role Offers

• A genuinely varied role combining procurement and relationship management, ideal for someone who enjoys both sides of the business
• Flexible working conditions
• Real exposure to defence supply chains
• A growing business with room to shape the role as it develops
• Direct access to senior leadership and real input into how the function grows
• Full training given
• Development programmes and transparent growth opportunities