Direct Procurement - Direct Buyer : Raw Materials

Purpose of the Role

As a Buyer for Direct Raw Material Procurement, you will be responsible for commodity strategy development, global sourcing and stakeholder relationship leadership for your given raw materials, to support Electric Vehicle battery cell manufacturing in the UK and India. The focus of this role is to support the delivery of manufacturing operations in the UK and India as one global procurement team to deliver value and mitigate risk for all global procurement and supply chain operations.

The position is based in Coventry with a hybrid working arrangement.

• Create and execute strategic sourcing plans for direct procurement, in alignment with the company's goals and objectives.
• Drive local & global commodity and supplier strategies to secure long‑term supply of direct material at industry best prices and contract terms.
• Take accountability for the negotiation, delivery and management of supply contracts with complex commercial terms and conditions.
• Manage global supplier relationships through onboarding, development/industrialisation and through production.
• Create supplier and/or commodity‑specific supply resilience programmes to ensure long‑term supply security by identifying, managing and mitigating all supply chain risk.
• Lead the development of commodity pricing trends through various levers like market trends and work with the pricing analysis team to develop business forecasts.
• Develop and foster strong relationships with cross‑functional stakeholder groups (Product Development, Operations, R&D, Supply Chain/Logistics, Finance, Quality, Corporate Strategy, Regulatory and ESG) to deliver maximum value in all activities.
• Lead sessions across the global team to share experiences and personal strengths, to drive best practice and develop high performance across the whole team.
• Ownership and control of P2P system activities, ensuring timely processing of all purchase requests in line with corporate policies and procedures and ensuring the end‑to‑end roles and responsibilities are understood and executed to deliver on‑time invoice settlement.

• Desired: degree educated, but not essential; or equivalent experience relevant to the role.
• Extensive experience in a Direct Procurement environment required (experience with raw materials, minerals, chemistry, automotive, battery/power system technology, EV propulsion, would be highly advantageous, but not essential).
• Knowledge and experience of procurement within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with dealing with Asian‑based suppliers and culture.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing procurement strategies that drive cost savings and operational efficiency.
• Knowledge of relevant procurement regulations, compliance requirements, and ethical practices.
• Direct experience of managing and executing the whole procurement cycle is essential (purchase requisition to payment confirmation).
• Strong commercial acumen and contract negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, One Drive, SharePoint and Outlook; experience with SAP would be beneficial, but not essential.

• The role requires occasional travel within the UK and internationally.

• Strong analytical and data skills, with the ability to clearly and effectively present complex information to gain needed alignment and approvals.
• Strong stakeholder management, relationship building and influencing skills, with the ability to achieve desired outcomes in cross‑functional (internal & external) environments at all levels.
• The ability to act with a high level of autonomy to deliver high‑value priority projects, whilst maintaining consistent performance across all areas of responsibility.
• Knowledge of battery cell mechanical components and/or high precision metal formation market.

As a new and evolving company, we offer a competitive and flexible benefits package that includes private healthcare, bonuses, enhanced parental leave, and wellbeing support through Yulife. We’re committed to promoting work‑life balance and employee wellbeing. As part of Tata Sons, you’ll be working in a fast‑growing environment, contributing to the development of the UK’s largest battery manufacturing facility and shaping the future of a new organisation.

Agratas fosters an inclusive environment where employees can be their authentic selves. We believe that individuals perform best when supported and content in their workplace. Committed to diversity, we welcome applicants of all races, genders, sexualities, and abilities. If candidates require reasonable adjustments or have preferences regarding the assessment process, they are encouraged to communicate these needs to the Talent Acquisition team.