Senior Buyer

Job Description:

Job Title: Senior Buyer
Location: Coventry CV6
Core Hours: 08:00-16:35 (Mon – Thu) 08:00-15:10 (Fri)
Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full-time and based onsite with potential hybrid working
Salary: £45,000-£50,000 (subject to experience) per annum + Discretionary Bonus 

​JOB SUMMARY

As a Senior Buyer at NP Aerospace, you will play a key role in keeping our Production and Aftermarket activity moving by securing low volume, time critical engineered components and ensuring suppliers deliver to plan. This role is ideally suited to a procurement professional with experience buying fabrications, electrical harnessing and general engineered components, sourced to detailed technical drawings, OEM requirements and off the shelf specifications.

Working within the Procurement Team, you will take a more strategic lead across supplier relationship management, long term supply agreements and supplier performance improvement, while still staying close to the day-to-day reality of keeping production running without disruption.

Does this sound like your kind of challenge? If so, keep reading!

Do you want to know more? Visit our website and/or LinkedIn page to find out more about us!

WHAT YOU WILL GET IN RETURN

​At NP Aerospace, we know our success comes from our people. That’s why we invest in benefits that support your health, reward your hard work, and help you grow your career:

Performance rewards – discretionary bonus opportunities 

Flex your day – flexible start and finish times (subject to manager approval and operational needs)

Time to recharge – 25 days’ holiday + 8 bank holidays, with the option to buy more through our Holiday Purchase Scheme

Support for Defence – two weeks’ paid leave for Reservists and Cadets, plus paid leave for Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs)

Future security – competitive pension scheme (9% combined employer/employee contributions

Peace of mind – life cover at 3x base salary

Health & wellbeing first – BHSF Cash Healthcare Plan to support everyday health costs

Grow with us – career development and advancement opportunities within a global business

Supportive environment – a team culture built on innovation, collaboration, and purpose

MAIN DUTIES

• Place, manage and expedite purchase orders to support manufacturing plans, maintaining clear ownership of production support and preventing disruption to build schedules.
• Partner closely with Planning, Production and Quality to align demand, priorities and supplier actions, resolving constraints quickly and keeping stakeholders informed.
• Lead material planning activity using QAD and supporting offline tools to monitor inventory, demand and forecasts, maintaining optimal stock levels and accurate planning parameters.
• Work strategically with suppliers to agree, implement and manage long term supply agreements that strengthen continuity of supply, pricing and service performance.
• Own supplier performance management, tracking KPIs and leading recovery and improvement plans for delivery and quality issues through to closure.
• Drive strong governance and effective use of QAD across all purchasing activity, ensuring data integrity, traceability and consistent process adherence.
• Maintain supplier quotation records and databases to support fast decision making, auditability and cost control.
• Identify and implement improvements to procurement procedures, systems and ways of working, improving efficiency and reducing risk.
• Mentor, coach and support Buyers within the purchasing team, helping to raise capability, consistency and performance.
• Support wider procurement activity as required, including supplier engagement, issue resolution and general purchasing duties.

The above statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required.

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Proven experience in a manufacturing or engineering procurement role, ideally buying mechanical and electrical components, OEM parts and aftermarket spares.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP and MRP systems, with the ability to maintain accurate data and use planning outputs to protect supply and stock levels.
• Demonstrable experience managing and developing supplier relationships across a varied supplier portfolio, driving delivery, quality and commercial performance.
• Confident communicator with a flexible, practical approach, able to take ownership, solve problems quickly and work effectively across planning, production and quality.

​

Desirable

• Experience working in an ITAR controlled or foreign controls environment.

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WHAT DO WE DO AT NP AEROSPACE?

NP Aerospace is a global leader in armour technology manufacturing and vehicle integration, delivering high-performance, lifesaving solutions for the defence and security industry.

​Our mission is to improve and protect lives, and our vision is to be a leading provider of innovative solutions that solve our customers' complex challenges. Our values - Respect, Collaboration, Integrity, and Dedication form the bedrock of our culture.

Our extensive range of combat-proven body armour, from ballistic helmets, plates, and shields to bomb disposal suits, highlights some of the most advanced composite materials. With a team of R&D engineers working on next-generation solutions, we also excel in highly engineered vehicle systems and armour platforms used by some of the world’s largest defence organisations.

​Founded in 1926, NP Aerospace has served the defence industry for over 40 years, evolving into an agile and diverse company. Our Business Development team is expanding both in the UK and North America.

​Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: NP Aerospace is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of race, colour, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We are also fully committed to supporting the Defence Community and actively advertise roles on Defence specific platforms such as CTP, Force Families, Forces Employment Charity, and Veterans Job Board.

Data Privacy: NP Aerospace respects the privacy of all applicants. Personal information provided during the application process will be treated in accordance with our privacy policy and applicable data protection laws.

Please note: If successful, you will be required to sign the Official Secrets Act and successfully pass the necessary checks before you can begin your employment with NP Aerospace.