Procurement Manager

A highly successful aerospace and defence services organisation supporting military, government and allied customers requires a Procurement Manager. Reporting into the Procurement leadership team, the Procurement Manager will play a key role in shaping and delivering procurement strategies across major programmes and bid activities, ensuring robust, compliant and cost-effective supply solutions that support operational delivery and business growth.

Working closely with Programme, Engineering, Technology, Commercial and Supply Chain stakeholders, the Strategic Procurement Manager will provide strategic procurement leadership from bid and proposal stages through to contract award and in-service support, whilst driving supplier performance, managing risk and delivering commercial value across the supply base.

Key Responsibilities of the Procurement Manager:

• Develop and implement procurement strategies aligned with business objectives and programme requirements.
• Lead procurement activities for major bids and programmes, from initial proposal stages through to contract award and in-service support.
• Analyse market conditions, supplier landscapes and industry trends to identify opportunities and mitigate supply chain risks.
• Support make-or-buy assessments, commercial evaluations, bid and no-bid decisions, and engineering reviews.
• Lead tendering, supplier selection and complex commercial negotiations, ensuring contracts deliver value and manage risk effectively.
• Build strong relationships with key suppliers and subcontractors while monitoring performance against agreed measures.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, legal requirements, export control regulations and ethical sourcing standards.
• Maintain governance and documentation while identifying savings, cost avoidance and continuous improvement opportunities.

Procurement Manager applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Proven experience as a Procurement Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Strategic Buyer or Senior Buyer within manufacturing, engineering, aerospace, defence or another technically complex environment.
• Experience developing and delivering procurement strategies across complex programmes, projects or operational environments.
• Strong commercial and contractual negotiation skills, with experience managing high-value supplier agreements and commercial risk.
• Experience of strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management and supplier performance improvement programmes.
• Strong analytical and commercial capabilities, including market intelligence, supplier analysis and procurement decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of procurement governance, compliance requirements and procurement best practice.
• MCIPS qualification (or working towards), and experience within highly regulated industries, would be advantageous.