Head of Direct Procurement - Technical Manufacturing

Head of Direct Procurement - Technical Manufacturing

• Procurement; Global Strategy; Developing Teams; Supplier base mgmt

• Aerospace; Defence; Security; Space; Engineering; Technology

• £70,000 - £75,000 + £5,000 car allowance

• Chelmsford, Essex (Hybrid)

Across the globe we deliver innovative developments in technology for high performance systems and equipment across Civil Aerospace, Defence & Security, Space, Industrial, Medical & Science applications.

Our products are everywhere: hospitals, planes, ships and even outer space. They do many incredible things - including saving and protecting people's lives by finding and treating cancer, helping map our planet and the universe, and freezing the atom down to 0° Kelvin.

With a long and enviable history of technical and scientific innovation, we are always working at the forefront of technology.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

This is an excellent opportunity to lead a team responsible for managing a global supply base, enabling on-time delivery of materials into a complex manufacturing system. You will operate in a challenging environment, managing high mix, low volume materials and components with detailed specifications and uncompromising quality requirements. Success will depend on your ability to lead and motivate a team of procurement professionals with clear and ambitious objectives.

• Plan and execute a global sourcing strategy for direct materials.

• Create a high calibre direct procurement function, offering strategic value to the business.

• Lead, develop and motive a team of competent procurement professionals to ensure a strong procurement service is delivered to internal customers with mitigation of key risks.

• Establish cross functional forums, identifying medium to long term procurement requirements and strategic sourcing opportunities.

• Manage a global supply base to deliver exceptional On Time Delivery and quality performance in support of challenging production requirements.

• Deliver consistent cost-down mechanisms to ensure competitive material pricing in support of divisional market growth strategies.

• Ensure strong commercial agreements established with supply base to protect interests and mitigate supply risk.

• Deliver continuous improvements, managed working capital levels through implementation of favourable payment terms, improving financial position and ability to make strategic moves.

• Identify and implement new systems and processes to continue improving procurement performance in delivering company requirements.

• Fully accountable to report and deliver strong procurement performance to executives.

• Collaborate and plan with other businesses to identify global sourcing opportunities and leverage collective spend.

Qualifications

• Must have experience of leading an organisational function.

• A background operating in a technical manufacturing environment, preferably in aerospace, medical devices or defence.

• Demonstrable experience of setting and achieving procurement targets.

• Strong leadership skills.

• Strong working knowledge of SAP would be highly advantageous.

• Specific commodity management experience (such as machined metal components, electronic assemblies, ceramics, mechanical assemblies, raw materials).

• Knowledge of supply chain, material management, demand forecasting and engineering change management principles.

• Working with excel to compile and evaluate data will be an important aspect of your role.

• Managing change in the right way.

• Global travel may be required.