Buyer

Strategic Buyer

Location: Hayes (Primarily Onsite)
Job Type: Full-Time 40 hours (flexi time)

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and commercially driven Strategic Buyer to join my clients procurement team in Hayes. This is a key role responsible for managing strategic sourcing activities, supplier relationships, contract negotiations, and procurement compliance across a diverse portfolio of services and materials.

With responsibility for approximately 160 suppliers, the successful candidate will play a critical role in reviewing and optimising the existing supplier and contract landscape, identifying opportunities to strengthen commercial arrangements, reduce risk, improve supplier performance, and drive best-practice procurement processes across the business.

This position would suit a confident, self-motivated procurement professional who enjoys working autonomously, influencing stakeholders, challenging existing agreements, and delivering measurable commercial value.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
Develop and implement sourcing strategies for assigned categories of goods and services.
Conduct market analysis, supplier benchmarking and cost modelling to identify savings, cost avoidance and value improvement opportunities.
Lead RFQs, tender exercises and supplier selection processes, ensuring transparent and compliant decision-making.
Review the existing supplier base and identify opportunities for supplier consolidation, performance improvements and commercial optimisation.
Contract Management & Negotiation
Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers, securing favourable pricing, terms and conditions.
Review, negotiate and manage contracts, ensuring agreements align with business objectives and compliance requirements.
Challenge and improve existing and legacy supplier agreements to strengthen commercial value and reduce risk.
Partner closely with Legal to review, draft and approve contracts while ensuring stakeholders understand contractual obligations and risks.
Supplier Relationship Management
Manage relationships with a broad supplier portfolio, ensuring strong performance and service delivery.
Conduct supplier performance reviews, business reviews and corrective action planning where required.
Resolve supplier issues and disputes in a professional and commercially effective manner.
Visit suppliers and host supplier meetings to support ongoing relationship management and strategic discussions.
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Ensure all procurement activities comply with relevant legislation, company policies, governance standards, export controls, sanctions requirements and data protection obligations.
Identify and mitigate commercial, contractual and supply chain risks.
Maintain complete and audit-ready procurement and contract documentation.
Support continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen procurement controls and processes.

Stakeholder Engagement
Build strong working relationships across Finance, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Information Security and other key business functions.
Provide procurement expertise and commercial guidance to stakeholders.
Prepare clear reports, business cases, supplier reviews and executive-level presentations.
Operational Support
Provide cover for Operational Buyers when required, including purchase order management, expediting activities and supplier coordination.
Take ownership of procurement activities through to completion, balancing multiple priorities effectively.

About You
To be successful in this role, you'll be a confident and credible procurement professional who combines strong commercial judgement with exceptional negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

Essential Experience
Significant experience in strategic sourcing, procurement and supplier management.
Proven success negotiating complex commercial contracts and supplier agreements.
Strong contract management experience, including working alongside Legal teams.
Experience reviewing and improving existing supplier agreements and procurement frameworks.
Strong supplier relationship management and supplier performance improvement experience.
Commercially astute with excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including analysis, forecasting, reporting and dashboard creation.
Strong PowerPoint presentation skills.
Experience utilising AI tools and digital technologies to improve procurement effectiveness and decision-making.
Experience working with ERP systems, ideally SAP.
Strong understanding of procurement compliance, governance and risk management.

Desirable Experience
Aviation or aerospace industry procurement experience.
CIPS qualification or working towards membership.
Knowledge of ISO 27001 and information security principles.
Degree or professional qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, Law or a related discipline.

Personal Attributes
Self-motivated and highly organised.
Confident decision-maker who can work independently with minimal supervision.
Strong negotiator with the ability to influence stakeholders and suppliers.
Detail-oriented with the ability to analyse complex contractual information.
Resilient, proactive and solution-focused.
High levels of integrity, accountability and professionalism.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Working Arrangements
Full-time position based in Hayes.
Primarily onsite, particularly during the first six months, to support stakeholder engagement and supplier review activities.
Regular supplier visits and occasional business travel may be required.
Applicants must have the unrestricted right to live and work in the UK.

Why Join Us?
This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a well-established supplier portfolio and play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the organisation's procurement function. You'll have the autonomy to challenge existing processes, improve commercial outcomes and help build a stronger, more strategic purchasing operation for the future.

If you feel you are suitable for this role, please apply now or contact Callum Withey at Shorterm Group for more information