Senior Buyer - Subcontracts (Heavy Civil Engineering)
Location: South West - Plymouth
Sector: Infrastructure / Heavy Civils
About the role
A leading Tier 1 civil engineering contractor, part of a major UK construction group, is seeking a Senior Buyer (Subcontracts) to join its procurement team in the South West.
The business delivers complex, high-profile infrastructure projects across sectors including maritime, flood risk management, defence, energy, water and regeneration, providing innovative engineering solutions through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach.
Key accountabilities
Develop tender lists and undertake full due diligence of proposed subcontractors for approval by the project and procurement leadership teams
Develop project-specific procurement strategies in collaboration with project teams, identifying and managing risk and opportunity to achieve best value
Develop and manage procurement schedules aligned with project programmes
Prepare and issue subcontract and materials enquiries for tender and project delivery
Manage timely return of quotations, complete detailed commercial and best-value analysis, and present recommendations for approval
Lead commercial negotiations with subcontractors and suppliers
Arrange and chair mid-tender, post-tender, final negotiation and pre-let meetings
Ensure compliance with internal governance and correct use of procurement documentation and approval processes
Chair regular project procurement reviews, tracking programme dates, tender allowances, order values, risks and actions
Support project teams by monitoring subcontractor performance and acting as a commercial mediator where supply chain issues arise
Manage new subcontractor onboarding, including all required due diligence
Maintain strong knowledge of the local supply chain, including capacity, capability and market conditions
Implement and manage supply chain agreements, including frameworks and preferred supplier arrangements
Build strong relationships with the supply chain to gather market intelligence and drive innovation
About you
Proven experience working in heavy civil engineering procurement, with a strong focus on subcontract buying
Experience operating within regulated or secure environments is advantageous (e.g. defence, nuclear, critical infrastructure)
Holding or working towards a CIPS professional qualification
Strong understanding of civil engineering trades, subcontract packages and construction materials
Good working knowledge of different forms of contract (e.g. NEC or similar)
Strong commercial awareness with excellent analytical and negotiation skills
Comfortable managing a varied workload with minimal supervision
IT-literate, with experience using Excel, Word, Teams and procurement / document management systems
Ability to obtain security clearance as required by project demands