Lead Buyer & QMT - Fixed term contract

Product quality always begins at source – with procurement. That’s why it takes people with uncompromising standards, exceptional business acumen, and real determination to procure exciting and innovative materials for our bespoke vehicles. But the job doesn’t just end there. In their pursuit of excellence, our team is tasked with managing the introduction of a vast array of bespoke features from a diverse range of specialised, sustainable sources.

What awaits you?

• As an integral part of our Bespoke purchasing and parts quality team, you will be responsible for leading a team of buyers and parts quality engineers who are responsible for selecting suitable suppliers and industrialising the supply of low volume Bespoke components.
• You will review new component designs and provide technical feasibility on suitable suppliers and manufacturing processes. For this, you will need to have a good understanding of vehicle component engineering and manufacturing processes.
• You will be able to find new and innovative low volume suppliers capable of meeting Rolls-Royce's exacting quality standards and have experience of modern structured sourcing processes that will enable you to deliver supplier nominations on time, in line with the defined project milestone requirements and in accordance with the company's purchasing processes.
• You will be an assured negotiator who understands how to analyse costs and agree prices with suppliers to achieve the best possible value for money, whilst taking account of design, volume, and timing constraints.
• You will be an expert in project management and industrialisation processes ensuring that all parts are supplied to the required quality standard and within the planned delivery timeline.
• You will proactively resolve supplier problems and adopt a collaborative approach to developing business relationships with all parties involved. You will steer the Purchase and supplier parts quality (QMT) team through all aspects of the Bespoke development process, managing the supply chain and parts quality related topics for all key components within a specific commodity area (Pillar).
• You will work collaboratively with other leaders within the bespoke team (Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, Design) to deliver the key new features to our Bespoke clients.

What should you bring along?

• University degree in Business Management, Procurement & Logistics, or Engineering.
• CIPS qualification an advantage.
• Significant professional experience in the field of Purchasing or Supplier Quality Management at an Automotive Manufacturer or tier 1 Automotive supply chains.
• Proven track record of delivery within a multi-project engineering environment.
• Knowledge of Automotive best practice tools and methods utilised in the sourcing & industrialisation of products.
• Familiarity with accreditations such as ISO9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 (was 18001), TS16949.
• Knowledge of Automotive Manufacturing Processes for interior/exterior/electrical components with the ability to select appropriate processes and tooling options for low and medium volume manufacturing.
• Experience of managing the end-to-end production component purchasing process within an automotive NPI environment.
• Experience in managing professional supplier selection processes.
• Experience of handling commercial negotiations with external suppliers.
• Experience of project management and an understanding of new product development processes.
• Good problem-solving ability required to overcome problems arising from specific cost, quality, and time issues.
• Good interpersonal skills with an ability to influence key stakeholders.

This vacancy is available as a Fixed Term Contract for up to 12 months.