Buyer FTC

What to Expect

We are recruiting for a Buyer to join our fantastic Commodity Procurement team in Woking. As the Buyer you will set the strategic direction of future supplier sourcing for McLaren vehicles for the commodities & suppliers within your commodity area and effectively direct your supplier relationships, to ensure access to the best technology at the lowest achievable ‘total cost’, whilst ensuring at all times that any possible risk to McLaren is minimised.

Please note this is a 12 month fixed term contract.

What You'll Do

• Ensuring close cooperation with Engineering to incorporate Technology Roadmaps and shall demonstrate expertise regarding their suppliers’ and the wider industry’s current and future technological advances.
• Delivering the creation and subsequent updating of Category Strategies, fully aligned with Technology Roadmaps, to ensure McLaren has clarity regarding the best possible selection of suppliers to meet our future product plans, technology, sourcing and cost requirements.
• Be a subject matter expert regarding the suppliers, competitors and industry landscape within their commodity area, fully conversant with the manufacturing processes, cost drivers and current, as well as future, technology.
• Demonstrating that Procurement is a key business partner that brings real added value when interacting with other departments, so that other functions want to engage Procurement’s expertise.
• Preparing and delivering the annual plans for cost reduction (including minimising any supplier claims) for their Commodity area, to ensure the committed improvements in direct material cost are delivered in line with the business plan. Work collaboratively with the Vehicle Line and Engineering to ensure they support and deliver on their cost down objectives too.
• Understanding and interrogating supplier Quotation Analysis Forms (QAF’s), in order to deliver the best possible total cost for McLaren.
• Owning the relationships with our key suppliers, including leading the Supplier Relationship Management process, to ensure McLaren is a ‘customer of choice’ and treated as such by its suppliers.
• Building strong relationships with their opposite numbers(s) within Engineering to ensure robust cross functional cooperation, to deliver aligned strategies and ‘one voice’ to the McLaren supplier base, in turn delivering the best cost and technology solutions.
• Leveraging robust supplier relationships to deliver the best outcome for McLaren in critical supplier negotiations.
• Leading contract negotiations with suppliers and work closely with the McLaren legal team to ensure that McLaren achieves the best possible commercial position and is protected from risk.
• Managing all Commodity Procurement activities for their suppliers and work with the Programme Procurement team to provide up to date Category Strategies and guidance regarding the RFQ process, including leading final contract and price negotiations with selected suppliers.

What You'll Bring

• A university degree in Business or Engineering (ideally automotive, aerospace or mechanical), or similar, is preferred but not essential.
• Professionally qualified to MCIPS level or equivalent, or working towards completion, is preferred.
• Chassis experience preferred.
• Deep understanding of the Procurement function and processes, and demonstrable experience of managing multi-national suppliers.
• At least 2 years’ experience as a buyer with an Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or a minimum of 3 years’ experience as a buyer within a manufacturing business or First Tier Automotive supplier.
• Experience of delivering multiple Category Strategies / Commodity Strategies through cross functional collaboration with Engineering.
• Well versed in successfully delivering multi million pound negotiations and contracts for direct materials at senior level with suppliers. Be a role model to demonstrate ‘what good looks like’.
• Experience of high volume and niche vehicle Procurement, with the ability to apply best practice as appropriate.
• Experienced with financial analysis for assessing supplier’s health and for building business cases internally.

What We'll Do for You

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance 4x your basic salary
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies including market leading maternity leave
• Tax efficient nursery scheme benefit
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice
• Friends and family day
• Opportunities to experience our fantastic cars

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.