McLaren Automotive Ltd
Senior Buyer - Interiors
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Senior Buyer (McLaren Automotive)
About the Role
Reporting to the Purchasing Manager, this is an exciting and unique opportunity to join McLaren Automotive’s Purchasing team. This role sits within an exclusive automotive environment currently undergoing rapid transformation and growth to support its globally acclaimed products and world-leading performance standards.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Portfolio & Supplier Management
- Management of multimillion-pound portfolios
- Full autonomy for supplier nomination and long-term strategic planning across function groups
- Coordination of long-term supplier strategies to ensure product excellence
Contract & Commercial Negotiation
- Supplier contract management and commercial negotiation
- Resolving critical supply issues and delivering status reporting to project teams
Risk & Cost Optimisation
-.Minimising costs, project risks, supplier-related tensions, and threats to:
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On-time manufacture
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Cost compliance
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Required quality standards
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Cost-down initiatives with suppliers
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VA/VE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) activities
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Use of commercial tools including:
- Cost estimating processes
- Benchmarking activities
- Supplier performance frameworks
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Supplier Readiness & Process Improvement
- Pre-launch supplier management to ensure readiness for series production
- Supplier evaluation methods development and performance improvement initiatives
- Enabling timely, accurate parts requirement feeds aligned with supplier lead-times
Executing in Systems & Finance
- Management reporting execution
- Configuration and development of business operating systems for efficiency
- Budgetary control of all associated cost centres
People Leadership
- Representing the function group at programme gateways and cost workshops
- Mentoring buyers while sharing best practices and fostering team development
- Encouraging a cross-functional approach to achieve strategic objectives
- Actively engaging with Engineering to strengthen influence and collaboration
- Setting clear performance objectives with suppliers and cross-functional teams
Essential Qualifications & Competencies
Hard Skills
- Proven leadership in commercial negotiations for large/complex projects
- Procurement/cost management expertise between £1m–£5m+ portfolios
- MCIPS qualification (essential)
- Direct procurement experience in automotive/manufacturing
- Experience across at least two new product introduction cycles
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and quality frameworks
- Ability to lead contract implementation within dynamic business environments
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Soft Skills
- Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills
- Results-driven mindset with the ability to deliver against aggressive business objectives
- Highly organised, with a commitment to strict deadlines and precision
- Adaptable decision-making under pressure
- Strategic thinking to drive industry-leading performance standards
- Flexible approach to project requirements and operating practices
Preferred Experience
While McLaren encourages applicants from any industry, the following will be competitive:
- Prior success within automotive manufacturingenvironments
- Launch management and new model integration
- Supply route selection, supplier relationship management, and contract execution
- Autonomous decision-making with demonstrated cost-saving/supplier growth effects >100k per year
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