Buyer – Decommissioning / Waste Handling Plant Location: Hybrid, based from Derby, Manchester or Warrington Salary: £31,875 – £39,375 dependent on experience 7% bonus excellent benefits Rolls‑Royce SMR is on a mission to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. As the UK’s leading Small Modular Reactor programme, we’re building a British solution to a global energy challenge and shaping one of the country’s most significant green export opportunities. Our Procurement function is foundational to delivering our first SMR and enabling future fleet deployment. Within this, the Decommissioning and Waste Handling Plant category plays a vital role—supporting the sourcing of specialist equipment, tooling, engineered assemblies and service solutions essential to the safe, efficient and compliant handling of nuclear waste and end‑of‑life plant activities. To support this, we are recruiting a Buyer – Decommissioning / Waste Handling Plant to run sourcing activity, manage purchase orders and support supplier engagement across this technically demanding and operationally critical category. Reporting into the Procurement Manager, this role will support the development of commercial strategies, deliver procurement activity and help build a scalable, reliable and high‑integrity supply base for specialist nuclear waste‑handling systems and decommissioning equipment. What you’ll be doing Support sourcing and category activity across decommissioning tooling, lifting/handling equipment, containment systems, waste‑movement technologies and supporting engineered plant. Run end‑to‑end procurement activities including RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiation preparation, contract placement and supplier onboarding. Work closely with Engineering, Nuclear Safety, Manufacturing, Programme Delivery and Quality to ensure early engagement, accurate specification development and alignment to regulatory requirements. Support the growth and optimisation of the waste‑handling and decommissioning supply base—identifying opportunities for cost efficiency, supplier consolidation and improved technical capability. Assist in implementing category strategies that ensure safety, compliance, traceability and performance across all procured systems and equipment. Analyse commercial, technical and market data to support recommendations and informed decision‑making. Maintain high standards of governance, documentation and procurement compliance across a regulated supply chain. Contribute to continuous improvement across procurement processes, reporting, supplier performance management and contract frameworks. This is a key role supporting operational readiness and procurement scalability within a safety‑critical environment. You’ll bring strong organisation, commercial awareness and the ability to work effectively in a technically complex and fast‑growing function. What you’ll bring Experience purchasing engineered equipment, tooling, mechanical assemblies or regulated technical products—ideally within nuclear, decommissioning, waste handling, defence, heavy engineering or complex manufacturing. Strong commercial awareness with experience running competitive tenders and contributing to negotiations. Confidence working with technical specifications, engineering drawings, cost breakdowns and supplier capability assessments. Experience in regulated or engineering‑led environments (e.g., nuclear, energy, aerospace, defence, rail, industrial manufacturing). Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, able to collaborate effectively with engineering, safety and operations teams. Strong communication skills—able to interpret and present information clearly at all levels. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word. MCIPS (or working towards) is desirable but not essential. Location & Ways of Working This role can be based from our Derby, Manchester or Warrington office. Hybrid working is standard, with regular weekly office attendance expected. Some travel may be required depending on supplier or project activity. What’s in it for you? Salary: £31,875 – £39,375 depending on experience. Benefits include: 7% performance‑related bonus Benefits Allowance – £2,200 to build a personalised package Pension – 12% employer, 6% employee Holidays – 28 days public holidays (option to buy/sell up to 4 days) Private Medical Insurance – BUPA Life Assurance – 6× pensionable pay £250 one‑off home‑office setup payment You’ll join a forward‑thinking, inclusive and innovative organisation offering: A flexible and supportive working environment Opportunities for career progression and professional development A culture that values diversity, innovation and continuous learning Why Join Us? You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer: • A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment. • Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business. • A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you. Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills. Our Application Process Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are: • Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance • Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check • Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check LI-LK1 LI-Hybrid