Senior Buyer

From aerospace and automotive to healthcare, defence, environmental and specialist industrial applications, our work plays a part in products and processes that improve performance, safety and reliability across critical sectors.

Are you a commercially driven procurement professional who knows how to turn purchasing opportunities into real business value?

Senior Buyer to play a key role in driving procurement performance, strengthening supplier relationships and delivering commercial improvements across the business. This is a senior, hands-on role offering the opportunity to combine operational purchasing expertise with strategic category management. You will take ownership of sourcing goods, materials, components and services, ensuring the business achieves the right balance of cost, quality, delivery, compliance and security of supply. Working closely with internal stakeholders, key suppliers and the Head of Procurement, you will bring commercial insight, sound judgement and the confidence to challenge existing ways of working. From leading supplier negotiations and identifying cost-saving opportunities to developing alternative sourcing strategies and mitigating supply chain risks, you will actively shape how procurement delivers value to the business. You will also play an important role in providing market intelligence, strengthening supplier performance and supporting informed commercial decisions at senior management level. This is an excellent opportunity for an established procurement professional who enjoys taking ownership, influencing at all levels and making a tangible difference to business performance.

About Luxfer MEL Technologies - UK

Head of Procurement About the Company Luxfer MEL Technologies is a global leader in high-performance magnesium and zirconium-based materials, supporting advanced technology industries worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage defined strategic spend categories, developing sourcing plans that support cost reduction, supply continuity, quality, compliance and business growth.
• Bring senior procurement experience into the current team, helping to raise commercial capability, share best practice and support a more structured approach to category management.
• Engage confidently with internal stakeholders to understand demand, specifications, risks and priorities, ensuring procurement activity is aligned with operational and commercial needs.
• Lead supplier negotiations, tenders and contract reviews to secure competitive pricing, improved terms, risk protection and measurable value for the business.
• Review category spend, supplier performance and market conditions to identify opportunities for savings, risk reduction, second sourcing, specification challenge and process improvement.
• Manage the supplier base for assigned categories, using SAP data and other performance information to support regular reviews, corrective action and supplier development plans.
• Monitor market trends, supplier capability, competitor activity and cost drivers, providing timely insight on risks, opportunities and commercial impacts.
• Purchase goods, materials, components and services in line with agreed cost, quality and delivery targets, using SAP and agreed procurement processes.
• Act as the interface between suppliers and internal departments on purchasing activity, supply issues, new projects and improvement initiatives.
• Prepare procurement reports, savings updates and supplier performance information for management review and SLT support.
• Support the Head of Procurement with strategic projects, annual objectives, savings delivery, supplier development and procurement capability-building initiatives.
• Contribute positively to the wider Procurement team, sharing workload where required and supporting regulatory or business-critical requirements.
• Undertake any other duties within the scope and competence of the role as required.

Requirements

• Skills, Experience & Qualifications We are looking for an experienced, commercially minded procurement professional with strong category management expertise, excellent supplier relationship skills and the ability to deliver strategic and commercial value.
• Requirements Qualifications CIPS qualified or educated to degree level in a relevant business, commercial or procurement discipline .
• Minimum 10 years' progressive purchasing or procurement experience, ideally within manufacturing, chemical, industrial or other technically complex environments.
• Proven experience operating at Senior Buyer, Category Specialist or equivalent level.
• Demonstrable track record of managing suppliers, negotiating commercial terms, improving service levels and delivering measurable cost savings or value improvements.
• Strong category management experience, including spend analysis, tendering, supplier performance reviews, market insight and risk management.
• Experience managing global suppliers and complex supply chains, including supplier continuity planning and risk mitigation.
• & Knowledge Strong commercial, analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify opportunities and support strategic business decisions.
• Advanced Excel skills and confident use of Microsoft Office.
• Experience in procurement reporting, performance analysis and savings tracking.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to engage with senior management and technical teams.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and work effectively in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a strategic focus on supplier risk and commercial value.
• Personal Attributes Professional, proactive and resilient team player who demonstrates accountability, integrity and commercial curiosity.
• A commitment to continuous improvement and the ability to contribute positively to a developing procurement team.
• Confident in sharing knowledge, offering constructive challenge and taking a collaborative, hands-on approach .

Preferred

• Requirements Experience purchasing industrial raw materials, commodities or market-index-linked products.
• Experience developing alternative sourcing strategies, including second-source development.
• Experience supporting procurement transformation initiatives, developing team capability or improving category management processes.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar ERP systems.
• Experience preparing and delivering procurement reports and presentations to senior stakeholders.
• Are you willing to provide the information reasonably required to assess and meet any applicable export-control, authorisation and compliance requirements?
• Export-Control Authorisation Certain duties may be subject to legal restrictions on access to controlled technical data, defence articles or services.

Benefits

• What We Offer Competitive salary.
• KPI’s) 25 days holiday each year, plus bank holidays and the option to purchase additional days Training and development opportunities.
• A supportive and friendly working environment.

Salary

£45,000 - £50,000 Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent Contract Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week

Luxfer MEL Technologies is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Applicants who declare a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the role will be offered an interview under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, wherever practicable and in accordance with our recruitment policy. If you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this in your application, CV or accompanying cover letter. You may also contact us if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Export-Control Compliance This role may involve access to defence-related goods, technical data or services subject to applicable UK and US export-control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), where applicable.

Any access will be assessed in accordance with the applicable regulations, authorisation requirements and company compliance procedures. Do you agree to cooperate with the relevant compliance chec ks As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. If you wish to request that your application be considered under the terms of our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please explicitly state so in your CV and / or accompanying cover letter.