Strategic Buyer

Strategic Buyer

Poole, Dorset – Salary £41,000 – £50,750

Note: Only applicants with full‑time, permanent right to work in the UK will be considered.

Lead sourcing activity for new products, projects and ongoing production, manage supplier selection, commercial negotiation, contracts and cost reduction activity. Work closely with Engineering, Quality and Operations to support successful product launches and develop supplier performance across quality, delivery, cost and compliance within an established engineering manufacturer with international exposure.

• Represent Purchasing within development and industrialisation projects from early concept through to production launch.
• Source materials, components and finished products in line with technical, quality, cost and timing requirements.
• Request quotations, lead commercial negotiations and put supplier agreements in place.
• Work with Engineering, Quality and Programme teams to confirm manufacturability, supply readiness and supplier capability.
• Manage project procurement information, master data and handover documentation for operational purchasing teams.
• Identify and deliver cost reduction, continuous improvement and total cost of ownership initiatives.
• Carry out supplier benchmarking, market research and supply chain analysis.
• Scout, assess and develop new suppliers across UK and international markets.
• Support supplier audits, qualification activity, capability reviews and performance improvement plans.
• Monitor supplier performance across quality, delivery, cost and compliance.
• Maintain supplier approval information and support dual‑source coverage for key capabilities.
• Work across Quality, R&D, Operations and Purchasing to resolve supply chain risks and improve performance.

• Experience as a Strategic Buyer, Project Buyer, Commodity Buyer or similar procurement professional.
• Strong commercial awareness with confidence negotiating pricing, terms and supply agreements.
• Experience supporting NPI, industrialisation or project‑based sourcing activity.
• Able to assess supplier capability, risk, cost, quality and delivery performance.
• Good understanding of procurement processes, supplier selection and sourcing strategy.
• Comfortable using ERP systems, Excel and procurement data to support decisions.
• Strong supplier and stakeholder management skills across technical and operational teams.
• Organised, adaptable and able to manage multiple priorities in a changing supply environment.
• CIPS qualification, or equivalent procurement training and experience.
• Willingness to travel to suppliers when required, potentially up to 20%.

• Background in engineering, manufacturing, electromechanical products or technical supply chains.
• Experience with supplier quality, supplier audits or part qualification activity.
• Understanding of demand forecasting, stock profiling or inventory planning.
• Lean or continuous improvement exposure, including 5‑Why, DMAIC or waste reduction methods.
• Experience managing international suppliers and global sourcing activity.

• Salary between £41,000 and £50,750.
• Direct influence across sourcing strategy, supplier capability, NPI and long‑term procurement performance.
• Opportunity to work closely with Engineering, Quality and Operations rather than a purely transactional role.
• Varied, commercially focused opportunity with exposure to international suppliers, product launches and continuous improvement activities.