Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.
GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, were inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. Were proud to play a part in protecting the worlds democracies. And were committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the worlds aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.
Job Summary Our Indirect Commodity Management & Procurement Excellence team is on the lookout for an Indirect Operational Buyer to join us at our Global Technology Centre (GTC) in Bristolthe place where brilliant engineers, cutting-edge innovation, and central head office functions (think HR, Finance, IT, and more) all come together. Weve teamed up with the UK Government for a £32M investment through the Aerospace Technology Institute to create the GTC, and now we need YOU to make procurement excellence part of the magic happening here!
Why has this role arisen? Were building something new and exciting! Weve got strong indirect procurement in placepreferred suppliers, contracts, buyersall the essentials. But what we dont have (yet!) is dedicated operational buying supportsomeone to help stakeholders navigate the admin, from raising POs to finding the right supplier or choosing the correct contract.
Thats where you come in.
Were on a mission to bring real operational buying support to all indirect categoriesfrom real estate and maintenance to consultants, tooling, IT, transport, and beyond. We want indirect procurement to feel more personal, more collaborative, and way more efficient. Your job? Be right there where the transactions happen, making sure stakeholders feel supported and processes get smoother.
By adding this on-the-ground support, were making procurement more personal, more integrated, and more connected. Instead of stakeholders handling purchasing in isolation, youll be their trusted guide, ensuring smooth transactions and building closer relationships between procurement and the business.
And thats not allthis role is our eyes and ears on the ground. Youll gather feedback on how our suppliers are performing, whats working, and where we can improve. Your insights will help category buyers and managers refine our procurement strategies, making sure were always raising the bar.
What are we expecting from you in 6 months, one year, and two years?
First 6 months: Youll be a familiar face across Indirect Procurementcategory buyers and category managers will know youre our Procurement Ops go-to for the GTC. Stakeholders alike will know you as their go-to person for purchase orders and procurement support. Youll also dive into community groups and GTC activities (because networking + fun = win-win). Most importantly, youll listen to engineers, to colleagues, to the system itselfto spot what works and what doesnt.
One year in: This role will truly belong to you. Youll own indirect procurement operations at GTC, fine-tuning quick-win process improvements and making things run smoother.
Two years in: Youll have made several impactful improvements to processes and communication, feeding valuable insights to category buyers and managers to shape better procurement strategies. And, of course, your next career move will be on the horizonwhether its specializing in buying or transitioning into a category-focused role, well support you in building a development path to get there.
What You'll Bring Two of your superpowers? Stakeholder & relationship management: People genuinely enjoy working with youyou make things easy, engaging, and fun! Process improvement: You love being organised, bringing structure to chaos, and ensuring things work as seamlessly as possible.
Youre a self-starter with ambition, ready to build relationships, solve problems, and refine solutions as needed.
Experience-wise:
You've worked as a buyer in a mature operation handling indirect procurement for a significant spend (£30M+ ideally).
Youve got 3+ years of professional experience (57 years is ideal).
You're an Excel whizpivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and spend management tools are second nature to you.
You've got experience in large-scale manufacturing or heavily regulated industries (aerospace, automotive, pharma, nuclear, etc.).
A degree in a commercial field or an APICS/MCIPS qualification would be great!
What We'll Offer Well offer you challenges that excite and opportunities that inspire. This is your chance to be part of a forward-thinking, industry-leading organisation thats pushing boundariesand youll be right at the heart of it in Indirect Procurement!
With some of the best training and development available, who knows how far youll go? Were here to support your journey and see your career fly!
Perks & Benefits:
Competitive salary (dependant on experience)
Hybrid workinga mix of office and home flexibility
Industry-leading pension scheme (we match up to 8% at a 1:1.5 ratio)
Life assurance (8x your salary)
25 days holiday + bank holidays
Income protection
Shopping discounts
Cycle To Work Scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
A collaborative, dynamic working environment
This is more than a jobits a chance to be part of something game-changing. This role is all about connection, process improvement, and shaping the future of operational procurement. Ready to be the driving force behind it? Join us!
Well offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?
A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles weve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. Its a culture that won us The Best Workplace Culture Award. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.
Were also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.
We arethe place where human dreams, plus humanendeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ?
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