Senior Strategic Buyer – Manufacturing

About the role

Our client is a globally recognised manufacturing business specialising in high-performance alloys and engineered materials. They are expanding their procurement capability and need a Senior Strategic Buyer to support manufacturing operations and build long-term supply-chain resilience across Europe, North America and Asia. The role influences sourcing strategy for both direct and indirect categories and works closely with production, engineering, quality and senior leadership.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for specialist raw materials, production equipment and critical services.
• Build and manage strategic relationships with international suppliers and oversee supplier qualification and onboarding.
• Lead negotiations for high-value capital equipment, commercial terms, warranties and service agreements.
• Manage international procurement activities including logistics, payment structures and compliance.
• Identify alternative suppliers to improve resilience and reduce supply risk.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews using cost, quality, delivery and service metrics.
• Monitor commodity markets, pricing trends and geopolitical developments affecting supply chains.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and inventory optimisation through data-driven analysis.

Required profile

• Experienced procurement professional with a strong commercial mindset and proven ability to develop sourcing strategies, negotiate complex agreements and build long-term supplier partnerships in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience sourcing both direct materials and indirect categories, including capital equipment, and working collaboratively across multiple business functions.

Required skills

• Knowledge of ERP procurement systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint capability.
• Experience using AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude for procurement analysis and reporting.

What we offer

• Opportunity to join a growing international manufacturing business at an exciting stage of expansion.
• Strategic, high-impact role with significant autonomy and visibility.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Professional development opportunities within a collaborative, innovative environment.
• Chance to help shape a resilient and sustainable global supply chain supporting next-generation technologies.