Junior Buyer (Corporate Procurement)

Navantia UK is a new force in British industry, supporting the UK’s defence, energy and maritime ambitions. We’re doing this by creating state-of-the-art sovereign defence capabilities, investing in the UK to modernise industrial facilities, and bolstering the nation's energy security. Established in 2022, Navantia UK is a subsidiary of Navantia SA, a Spanish state-owned company with over 300 years of naval shipbuilding history. In January 2025, Navantia UK completed the acquisition of Harland & Wolff and its four historic facilities in Belfast, Appledore, Methil, and Arnish. By combining Harland & Wolff’s proud heritage and facilities with Navantia’s global expertise, Navantia UK is well-positioned to strengthen Britain’s defence, maritime and energy industrial capabilities, supporting jobs and economic growth across the UK.

To support the Corporate Procurement team in the delivery of day-to-day purchasing activities, ensuring the timely and cost-effective supply of goods and services across the organisation. The role provides an opportunity to develop core procurement knowledge, commercial awareness, and understanding of company procurement processes, systems, policies, and supplier relationships.

Working under close supervision, the Junior Buyer performs routine procurement and administrative activities while developing technical and professional procurement skills.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Support

• Assist with sourcing activities for goods, materials, and services in accordance with company procurement procedures.
• Support the preparation, creation, and processing of purchase requisitions and purchase orders.
• Obtain and compile supplier quotations for review and evaluation.
• Follow up on purchase orders to ensure timely delivery of goods and services.
• Support supplier communications regarding orders, deliveries, and routine enquiries.
• Assist with resolving invoice discrepancies and support the purchase-to-pay process.

Supplier and Contract Support

• Contribute to supplier performance monitoring and reporting activities.
• Maintain supplier records and procurement documentation.
• Support supplier onboarding and administrative processes where required.
• Assist in gathering market and supplier information to support procurement activities.

Administration and Data Management

• Maintain accurate procurement data within company systems and databases.
• Ensure procurement records, files, and documentation are complete and up to date.
• Generate routine procurement reports and provide administrative support to the procurement team.
• Support compliance with procurement policies, procedures, and audit requirements.

Stakeholder Support

• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal stakeholders.
• Respond to routine procurement queries and direct more complex matters to senior team members.
• Support cross-functional collaboration to ensure procurement requirements are met efficiently.

Continuous Improvement

• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing procurement processes and efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve data quality, reporting, and administrative processes.
• Support implementation of procurement best practices and standard operating procedures.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Foundation Degree, HND, HNC or equivalent in a related field plus relevant work experience.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise workload and manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Basic analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Collaborative and team-oriented approach.
• Customer-focused mindset with a willingness to learn.
• Ability to follow established procedures and processes accurately.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Desirable

• A degree (or equivalent) in a Business related field.
• Basic understanding of procurement, purchasing, or supply chain principles.
• Awareness of commercial and supplier management concepts.
• Exposure to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
• Interest in pursuing professional procurement qualifications such as CIPS.

Additional Information

The duties and responsibilities outlined in this specification are not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties that are reasonable and consistent with the scope, purpose, and grading of the role. This job specification should be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains an accurate reflection of business requirements.

***Please note as part of the onboarding process all candidates will need to complete BPSS security clearance***

We are an Opening Doors employer, committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Our approach, shaped by our values of service, trust, excellence, agility, dedication, and you, we focus on removing barriers and recognising potential. We are committed to fairness at every stage, including providing reasonable adjustments and actively working to eliminate discrimination.

We believe talent is everywhere, and by widening access to opportunity and welcoming diverse experiences, we aim to create a workplace where every person feels valued and has an equal chance.

If you experience difficulties or are unable to apply for a role on-line please contact us at [email protected] and one of the team will be in contact to help you.