Hours: Full time
Salary: Up to £43,000 plus 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), pension, life assurance, employee assistance programme, wellbeing support, and flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme
About the Role
Unipart Manufacturing is launching a flagship, fast-paced manufacturing project in Coventry, combining high-volume electrification assembly with complex injection moulding inputs. Fully aligned with Unipart's Sector and Growth Strategy and The Unipart Way Forward Plan, this exciting venture will scale rapidly from zero to over 200 team members within a four-month period, carrying potential to evolve into a standalone business. We are seeking a driven, commercially sharp Buyer to support strategic sourcing, New Product Introduction (NPI), and raw material/component procurement. Reporting to the Head of Purchasing, you will negotiate supplier terms, manage business system data, and secure continuity of supply across electrification assembly and injection moulding inputs.
As part of your key responsibilities, you'll:
Sourcing and NPI Support - Execute strategic sourcing and NPI purchasing activities for goods, materials, electrification components, and services to meet cost, quality, and delivery (QCD) targets
Supplier Negotiation and Cost Savings - Negotiate supplier contracts, improve commercial terms, conduct spend analyses, and deliver tangible business savings using procurement best-practice tools
Continuity of Supply and Risk Management - Monitor supply chain risks, facilitate communication between suppliers and internal engineering/manufacturing teams, and ensure uninterrupted material flow
Systems and Performance Evaluation - Manage purchasing data (purchase orders, contracts, supplier onboarding), compile departmental KPI reports, and conduct supplier performance reviews
Culture and The Unipart Way - Embed Unipart Way principles, standardised workflows, and continuous improvement practices across all procurement operations
About You
We'd love you to have the following skills and experience, but please apply if you think you'd be able to perform well in this role!
Purchasing Experience - Experience working within a purchasing or procurement team, ideally in an automotive, electrification, or fast-paced manufacturing environment
Commercial and Analytical Acumen - Numerically astute with strong contract negotiation skills, supplier cost analysis capability, and understanding of manufacturing impact
NPI and Supplier Management - Track record of managing supplier relationships, supporting new project introductions, and raising purchase orders/contracts within ERP/MRP systems
Work Ethic and Drive - Proactive self-starter with excellent problem-solving skills, high attention to detail, and the ability to handle time-critical supply chain demands
About Unipart
We are a supply chain performance improvement partner. We Design, Make, Move, and Improve components in our customers' supply chains, keeping their operations and assets moving and working better, for longer. Through our commitment to continuously driving operational efficiencies, we improve performance - saving time, cost, and carbon. Our ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We believe that a great workplace is one where you can bring your whole self to work. Our recruitment process is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and based entirely on merit. We define merit through a combination of technical skills and the core behaviours that help our people thrive at Unipart. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background or circumstances. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity that exceeds our statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and subsequent legislation. Whether it's your age, disability, neurodiversity, gender identity, family status, or any other characteristic that makes you 'you' - it is your talent and potential that we value most. Adjustments for you: We want you to perform at your best. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know. We are here to support you.
You may have experience in the following: Buyer, Purchasing Officer, Procurement Officer, Procurement Specialist, Purchasing Buyer, Senior Buyer, Category Buyer, Commodity Buyer, NPI Buyer, Project Buyer, Supply Chain Buyer, Strategic Sourcing Specialist, Supplier Development, Purchasing Coordinator, Materials Controller, Procurement Analyst
Salary description
£43000.00 - £43000.00 per year