Senior Buyer

BAE Systems; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global aerospace and defense company is seeking a Senior Buyer based in Warton, England. This role involves managing end-to-end procurement strategies, leading tender negotiations, and supplier management. Candidates should have proven procurement experience, strong contract negotiation skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Office. The position offers hybrid working options along with a competitive pension scheme and various employee benefits. The application closes on February 9, 2026, or earlier if sufficient applications are received.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible health and wellbeing benefits

Green car scheme

Private health plans

Shopping discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing end-to-end procurement.
• Solid skills in contract negotiation.
• Experience in supplier performance monitoring.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver cost savings.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement procurement strategies.
• Lead tendering activities and supplier evaluations.
• Conduct contract negotiations and manage supplier performance.
• Collaborate with teams to define specifications and budgets.
• Deliver measurable cost savings and improvements.

Skills

End-to-end procurement management

Contract management

Supplier management

Cost savings delivery

Microsoft Office proficiency

CIPS accreditation

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Job overview

Job Description - Senior Buyer (00133556)

Job Title: Senior Buyer

Location: Warton; Lancashire with occasional travel to Preston and Samlesbury. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements – please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement end-to-end procurement strategies, ensuring compliance with corporate policies and procurement best practice
• Lead tendering activities, including preparation of pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQs), requests for proposal (RFPs) and formal tender documentation
• Conduct supplier evaluations, commercial assessments, and contract negotiations to secure best-value outcomes
• Draft, review, and finalise contract documentation in line with company policy and UK contract law
• Manage supplier performance and relationships to ensure delivery of goods, works, and services to agreed quality, cost, and schedule
• Collaborate with engineering, project management, and finance teams to define specifications, budgets, and procurement routes
• Identify, deliver, and report measurable cost savings and value improvements across allocated categories
• Undertake supplier site visits, due diligence, and risk assessments as required for critical or new suppliers

Your skills and experiences

• Proven experience managing end-to-end procurement, ideally within an indirect procurement environment
• Solid contract management and negotiation skills, including drafting and reviewing agreements
• Experience in supplier management, performance monitoring, and risk assessment
• Experience of delivering cost savings, value improvements, and procurement strategies
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel / Word) and ERP/procurement systems
• CIPS accreditation (or working towards) desirable

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Procurement Team

You will be joining a highly skilled and collaborative Infrastructure Category team that plays a critical role in delivering the capital projects shaping the future of BAE Systems Air. Working across our Warton, Samlesbury and Preston sites, the team partners closely with engineering, manufacturing and research specialists to deliver complex procurement programmes that directly support cutting-edge aerospace innovation. This is a fast-paced environment where every project offers variety, visibility and the opportunity to make a tangible impact. You will gain experience across multiple manufacturing platforms and technologies, with full support for professional development – including the opportunity to achieve your CIPS qualification – as you progress your career within one of the most advanced engineering organisations in the world.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Key dates and location details

Closing Date: 9th February 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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Locations

• Primary Location: GB-ENG-LAN-Warton
• Other Locations: GB-ENG-LAN-Samlesbury, GB-ENG-LAN-Preston