Strategic Sourcing Buyer

Role Overview

As a Strategic Sourcing Buyer reporting to the Procurement Manager, you will serve as a commercially driven Category Manager within Manufacturing. Your primary responsibility will be owning and evolving the sourcing strategy across a complex, engineered supply base through end-to-end strategic sourcing. You will deliver long-term value by shaping the supplier landscape, leveraging technical and market insight, and executing multi-year category strategies that optimise cost, capability, innovation, and resilience.

You will take full ownership of a manufacturing category, leading strategic sourcing activity from opportunity identification through to supplier selection, negotiation, and long-term supplier development. You work at the intersection of procurement, engineering, and operations.

• Own and evolve end-to-end category strategies aligned to business and manufacturing objectives
• Define and deliver multi-year sourcing strategies based on demand, technology, and market dynamics
• Lead strategic sourcing activity end-to-end, including market analysis, supplier identification, RFx processes, and negotiations
• Apply structured methodologies (e.g. should-cost modelling, total cost of ownership, benchmarking)
• Interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing requirements to inform sourcing decisions
• Segment and position suppliers based on capability, risk, and strategic importance
• Build and execute supplier development roadmaps to enhance performance, capability, and innovation
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, quality, and finance

• Degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Professional procurement qualification (e.g. CIPS or equivalent) strongly preferred
• Proven experience in a strategic sourcing or category management role within a manufacturing or engineered environment
• Demonstrated ownership of category strategy development and execution, delivering measurable commercial outcomes
• Experience sourcing engineered products or components (e.g. machining, fabrication, castings, plastics or similar)
• Deep understanding of strategic sourcing and procurement best practices, including category strategy development, total cost of ownership (TCO), should-cost modelling, and supply market analysis
• Strong capability in cost analysis and supply market intelligence, translating data into actionable sourcing strategies

Edwards is a leading developer and manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products, exhaust management systems and related value-added services. Edwards solutions are integral to manufacturing processes for semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells. They are also used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial processes including power, glass and other coating applications; steel and other metallurgy; pharmaceutical and chemical; and for scientific instruments in a wide range of R&D applications.

Edwards has over 4,000 employees worldwide engaged in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment. Edwards has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Europe, Asia and North America.