Randstad Enterprise
Senior Operational Buyer
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Job Title: Senior Operational Buyer
Location: Warwick, UK
Contract length: 12 months
Randstad Sourceright, a leading provider of RPO & MSP Recruitment Services is currently recruiting for a Senior Operational Buyer to join a World leader offering Products, Solutions and Services across the entire Energy value chain on behalf of a well established manufacturing organisation to play a key role in supporting Manufacturing Operations. You will shape a competitive, sustainable supply chain, partnering globally to drive productivity, quality, and digitalization.
About the Role
As a Senior Operational Buyer you will be managing day-to-day purchasing operations for complex, engineered components (such as castings and forgings) within an industrial/aerospace manufacturing environment. Operating as an autonomous "fixer," this role balances high-volume SAP transactions—like PO management, invoice resolution, and supplier evaluations—with deep data analysis using Excel and PowerBI. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguous situations, using data and Lean principles to solve supply chain bottlenecks with minimal supervision.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage end-to-end purchasing activities for direct materials and complex engineered components (e.g., castings and forgings).
- Lead initial part sourcing, evaluate supplier quotations, and negotiate price adjustments to maintain budget alignment.
- Review, issue, and manage high volumes of Purchase Orders (POs) within SAP (PS1 ATLAS) to ensure on-time delivery for production schedules.
- Analyze large, complex datasets using Excel, PowerBI, and Lean principles to track purchasing trends, identify supply risks, and spot cost-saving opportunities.
- Drive process efficiency by implementing continuous improvement initiatives and maintaining compliance with global Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) guidelines.
- Oversee vendor relationships, conducting ongoing performance evaluations, qualification assessments, and risk classifications.
- Function as a "fixer" by proactively resolving supplier discrepancies, including invoice holds, payment issues, and delivery delays with minimal supervision.
- Partner closely with internal stakeholders—including Material Requirements Planners (MRPCs), engineering, and requisitioners—to capture early requirements and ensure material availability.
- Navigate matrix organizational structures to align local procurement tasks with broader global business plan goals.
- Maintain accurate purchasing records, vendor database entries, and contract documentation within enterprise management systems.
- Guarantee strict adherence to corporate governance, legal standards, and industry-specific regulatory requirements (e.g., aerospace/industrial standards).
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Essential Requirements
- 5+ Years in Direct Procurement. Proven track record in direct material sourcing and buying within manufacturing or industrial environments.
- Prior background in Aerospace, Industrial Applications, or Heavy Engineering sectors.
- Practical knowledge of engineered products and manufacturing processes, specifically with castings and forgings.
- Hands-on transactional experience in SAP (specifically PS1 ATLAS or production environment modules) for end-to-end P2P operations.
- Superior skills in Advanced Excel (pivots, complex formulas, data modeling) and PowerBI to manipulate and extract insights from high-volume datasets.
- Working knowledge of Lean methodologies to drive process optimization and efficiency.
- Demonstrated ability to operate with minimal supervision, take complete ownership of tasks, and actively seek solutions to operational bottlenecks.
- Ability to navigate complex, fast-changing global matrix environments and solve unstructured problems proactively.
- Skilled in managing diverse supplier portfolios, conducting vendor evaluations, and negotiating price adjustments effectively.
- Strong ability to resolve cross-functional discrepancies (e.g., invoice holds, payment issues, PO mismatches).
- Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
- Advanced / Fluent English communication skills (written and spoken) for daily cross-functional and global stakeholder collaboration.
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Desirable Requirements
- Direct, hands-on experience within Aerospace & Defense or Power & Energy manufacturing supply chains.
- CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply), APICS (CPIM/CSCP), or equivalent professional procurement credential.
- Familiarity with strict industry quality standards (e.g., AS9100 for aerospace or ISO 9001) and the ability to read complex engineering blueprints/drawings.
- Proven experience developing creative commercial leverage (e.g., dual-sourcing strategies, bundling future demand) when negotiating with single-source or monopoly vendors.
- Lean Six Sigma Green or Yellow Belt certification with a demonstrated track record of streamlining Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) workflows.
- Experience managing international supplier bases across low-cost regions or navigating cross-border trade/logistics regulations.
- Experience building customized PowerBI or Tableau reporting dashboards from scratch to track KPI performance and vendor spend.
- Hands-on experience with modern e-procurement suites (e.g., SAP Ariba, Jaggaer, or Coupa).
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