Buyer - Production

Prodrive Composites Ltd; Banbury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent motorsport company is seeking a Buyer to oversee product sourcing and manage supplier relationships. The ideal candidate should have experience in production purchasing, ideally within Motorsport or Automotive sectors. Responsibilities include leading sourcing strategies and ensuring compliance with company standards. This role offers an attractive salary, 25 days holiday, training opportunities, and various employee benefits.

Benefits

25 days holiday (plus opportunity to purchase more)

Training opportunities

Car and pension salary sacrifice schemes

Paid time off for volunteering

Social events

Qualifications

• Proven experience in direct production purchasing in related fields.
• Strong track record in supplier negotiation and contract management.
• Comfortable working with Engineering and Production teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full purchasing lifecycle and supplier performance.
• Lead sourcing strategies focusing on cost, quality, and risk.
• Mentor less experienced buyers in sourcing and negotiation.

Skills

Direct production purchasing

Supplier negotiation

Analytical skills

Commercial acumen

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

CIPS qualification (or working towards)

Tools

MRP/ERP systems (IFS preferred)

Excel

Job description

At Prodrive we believe there’s no limit to what can be achieved when the brightest minds come together. Joining one focused and driven team, you will challenge boundaries in order to change the game for our customers. We are the world’s leading independent motorsport company and the business behind some of the greatest names and achievements in motorsport over the last 40 years. Our skilled Technicians, Mechanics, Fabricators and Engineers work together every step of the way to design, build and run elite competition cars on the track and off-road across the globe.

We are looking for a Buyer to ensure the correct products are sourced at the right time, quality, price and followed through production in line with approved requests, budget and predicted stock level. You will also provide guidance on all purchasing, stock control and logistics tasks to buyers/expeditors.

Key Responsibilities

• Take commercial ownership of defined commodities, categories or programme cost areas, ensuring best value for Prodrive in terms of cost, quality, delivery and risk.
• Manage the full purchasing lifecycle: from strategic sourcing and category management, through supplier selection and re-sourcing, to price and commercial negotiations, right down to order placement against schedules and ensuring parts are available to build.
• Lead sourcing strategies that balance global opportunities, risk mitigation, quality standards and cost targets.
• Monitor and manage supplier performance using KPIs and vendor rating tools, driving corrective action and continuous improvement.
• Provide clear cost visibility and forecasting for your categories/programmes, influencing design-to-cost decisions with Engineering and Programme Management.
• Support “make vs buy” analyses, ensuring the right blend of in-house and supplier capability to optimise value and lead-time.
• Ensure compliance with Prodrive’s procedures, contractual requirements and ISO9001 standards across all purchasing activity.
• Mentor and support less experienced buyers, sharing best practice in sourcing and negotiation.

Who are we looking for?

Our ideal candidate will have proven experience in direct production purchasing within Motorsport, Automotive or Advanced Manufacturing. You will be confident leading category/commodity strategies and influencing total programme cost outcomes, with strong commercial acumen and a track record in supplier negotiation, cost leadership and contract management. You will possess excellent analytical skills to assess supply market dynamics, cost drivers and risk factors, and be comfortable working cross functionally with Engineering, Planning, Production and Programme Management teams to align sourcing with business priorities. A working knowledge or MRP/ERP systems (IFS an advantage) and strong Excel/analysis skills is required for this role, and you will preferably hold or be working towards CIPS qualification.

What can we offer you?

• An attractive salary which will grow in line with your ongoing development and impact
• 25 days holiday (which increases with long service) with an opportunity to purchase up to 15 extra days
• Training opportunities for continuing professional development
• Car and pension salary sacrifice schemes
• Paid time off for volunteering
• Consultations with our Fit 4 Life expert
• Social events throughout the year
• Exclusive company discounts
• Life assurance

We are an equal opportunities employer

At Prodrive we are committed to attracting and nurturing the best talent and creating an inclusive workplace. We value individual differences and diversity amongst all staff so that everyone has the widest opportunities to maximise their potential. We aim to ensure that no job applicant is placed at a disadvantage by practices or requirements which disproportionately impact protected groups and which are not justified by the demands of the job. If you feel you are right for this role, we welcome your application.

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