Technical Buyer

About the role

As a Technical Buyer, you will be responsible for the quality, cost, and delivery performance of allocated suppliers and product lines. You will ensure purchased parts, materials, and services are supplied on time to support original equipment production, aftermarket, and spares requirements. This is a hands-on purchasing role that requires strong supplier management skills and proven experience in a manufacturing, aerospace, engineering, or technical production environment. You will need to confidently interpret technical drawings, specifications, bills of materials, and engineering documentation to support accurate sourcing, supplier communication, and issue resolution. You will manage supplier orderbooks, support RFQ activity, negotiate with suppliers, assess supply chain risks, and work cross-functionally to resolve delivery, quality, commercial, and technical supply issues.

Responsibilities

• Manage the RFQ process, supplier negotiations, and conversion of purchase demand into purchase orders.
• Evaluate supplier capability, pricing, lead times, delivery performance, quality performance, and commercial suitability.
• Schedule, place, and manage purchasing documentation, including design data packs, RFQs, and purchase orders.
• Manage supplier orderbooks to ensure on-time delivery in line with business and customer requirements.
• Act as the main point of contact for supply chain matters relating to allocated suppliers and product lines.
• Maintain accurate ERP/MRP data, including supplier delivery commitments, pricing, lead times, order status, and purchasing master data.
• Ensure design data revisions are up to date with suppliers.
• Review and interpret technical drawings, specifications, bills of materials, and engineering documentation.
• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Production, Planning, Finance, Stores, and Supplier Quality Assurance to resolve supply issues.
• Resolve invoice queries in collaboration with Accounts Payable and suppliers.
• Organise and lead supplier business reviews to monitor and improve supplier performance.
• Undertake supplier site visits as required to support engagement, delivery recovery, risk mitigation, and performance improvement.
• Identify, communicate, and manage cost variances.
• Support total cost of acquisition reduction opportunities and improvement plans.
• Identify supply chain risks and implement practical countermeasures to protect production continuity.
• Support new supplier introduction activity in line with the business source change process.
• Escalate supplier performance, delivery, commercial, or quality concerns where required.
• Maintain positive working relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with business policies, procedures, approval processes, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer flow-down requirements.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement within purchasing and supply chain processes.
• About You
• You will have proven purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience gained within a manufacturing, aerospace, engineering, precision machining, fabricated components, or technical production environment.
• You will be confident working with engineered components and technical documentation, and you will bring strong commercial awareness, supplier management capability, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced operational environment.
• At Ontic, our culture is integral to how we work and deliver for our customers. We are looking for someone who has the right technical skillset and will thrive in our recognition and empowerment culture.
• Knowledge, Skills & Experience
• Experience in a purchasing, procurement, or supply chain role.
• Experience within manufacturing, aerospace, engineering, precision machining, fabricated components, or technical production.
• Experience purchasing engineered parts, components, materials, or services.
• Ability to read, understand, and interpret technical drawings, specifications, bills of materials, and engineering documentation.
• Strong supplier management and orderbook management experience.
• Excellent negotiation, organisation, and communication skills.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to resolve pricing, delivery, supplier, and contractual challenges.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems; Syteline experience would be advantageous.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, Production, Planning, Finance,

Benefits

Additional Information

Technical Buyer Ontic, a leading licensor and manufacturer of complex engineering parts for the global aerospace and defence industries, is recruiting for a Technical Buyer to join our growing Supply Chain team at our Staverton site . We are more than just a business; we are a community of innovators. At Ontic, talent thrives, ideas flourish, and careers are built. We are committed to excellence, continuous improvement, and staying at the forefront of our industry.

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Company Intel

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