Principal Buyer

Vacancy Reference: CLA- 427

Position: Full-time

Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK

Salary: £60,000+ DOE

At Callen-Lenz, we are expanding the limits of what is possible. We specialise in crewed and uncrewed aircraft operations and technology and having recently received investment into the business we are going through a period of rapid growth and development and are looking for key roles to assist with these changes. Callen-Lenz offers innovative and customer-focused UAS solutions through our 4 key business strands: technical services, products, platforms and operational services. We are looking for individuals to help drive forward our expansion, placing you at forefront of UAS development in the UK.

Our Values

• Innovation

• Integrity

• Collaboration

• Excellence

Why Work for Us

Based in the heart of rural Wiltshire, close to the Historic city of Salisbury you will join our rapidly growing, friendly and multi-disciplined team, working on a range of diverse and interesting projects, leading the way in this exciting field and witnessing the full lifecycle of our products. The Callen-Lenz team are passionate about what we do, and we are searching for individuals to grow with us as we expand into the aerospace industry.

Our benefits include:

• 25 days annual leave per year (plus bank holidays)

• Buy/Sell holiday policy up to 5 days either way

• Pension Scheme via Royal London

• Company contributed Share Incentive Plan.

• Green Car Scheme

• Life assurance scheme (6x basic salary)

• Income protection policy (75% of basic salary)

• Private Health Insurance via Bupa

• Private Dental insurance via Bupa

• Enhanced Maternity and paternity

• 1 Professional membership reimbursed per year

• 1 paid volunteering day per year

• Access to an independent financial advisor year round

• Training & development opportunities

About the role

As the Principal Buyer, you will be responsible for leading the procurement of goods, materials and services to ensure the Company’s operational requirements are met across cost, quality, delivery, risk and continuity of supply.

This role carries a higher level of strategic responsibility and commercial accountability than a Senior Buyer, including ownership of complex supplier relationships, category or project leadership, support for procurement governance and continuous improvement, and direct line management responsibility for Buyers and/or Junior Buyers, including performance management, development and day-to-day supervision.

Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing activity for complex or high-value goods, materials, components and services in line with commercial, operational and programme requirements.

• Develop and implement sourcing and category strategies that enhance supply continuity, reduce risk and deliver measurable commercial value.

• Take ownership of key supplier relationships, including performance management, contract compliance, escalation management and the delivery of supplier improvement plans.

• Lead negotiations relating to contracts, pricing, service levels and terms of business using recognised procurement and commercial best practice.

• Provide market intelligence, supplier insight and cost analysis to support informed decision-making, budget control and strategic planning.

• Assess tenders and quotations and make robust recommendations based on commercial, operational, quality and risk considerations.

• Support new product introduction, project delivery and operational initiatives by engaging stakeholders early and advising on procurement risks, opportunities and dependencies.

• Identify and deliver cost reduction, value improvement and process efficiency initiatives across the supply base and wider procurement function.

• Ensure the accurate and timely placement of purchase orders and contracts in accordance with negotiated terms and company policies.

• Resolve supplier issues relating to price, quality, delivery, capacity or invoice discrepancies in a timely, professional and commercially appropriate manner.

• Contribute to procurement governance, compliance, reporting and continuous improvement activities, including KPI performance monitoring and audit readiness.

• Directly line manage Buyers and/or Junior Buyers, including allocation of workload, setting objectives, performance management, absence management, coaching and development.

• Provide day-to-day leadership, guidance and coaching to Buyers or Junior Buyers and support capability development across the team.

• Where required, act as a workstream or functional lead on procurement initiatives and deputise for the Procurement Manager in agreed areas of responsibility.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Health & Safety

• Demonstrate in daily activities a commitment to health and safety in the workplace by always ensuring tasks are performed in the safest possible manner.

• Report all hazards and incidents that the individual is party to, or observes, in the correct manner.

• When required or directed, participate in any health and safety training.

Qualifications

• GCSE or equivalent Maths and English at Grade C/4 or above.

• CIPS Level 4 minimum, with Level 5/6 or equivalent professional procurement qualification desirable.

• Relevant procurement, commercial or supply chain qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience.

Skills and Experience

• Significant procurement and strategic sourcing experience, preferably within an aviation, engineering or manufacturing environment.

• Demonstrable experience of leading complex negotiations, managing key supplier relationships and delivering commercial outcomes.

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyse cost, risk, contractual exposure and supply market opportunities.

• Highly effective stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels across the business and supplier base.

• Excellent negotiation, communication, influencing and interpersonal skills.

• Analytical and numerically strong, with proven problem-solving, decision-making and prioritisation capability.

• Able to plan, prioritise and deliver against demanding deadlines across multiple categories, projects or stakeholder requirements.

• Proven direct line management experience, including performance management, objective setting, coaching and developing team members.

Personal Attributes

• Must be a British Citizen or have an existing right to work in the UK.

• Ability to commit to occasional national and international travel.

• Team player who is capable of working autonomously.

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.

• A professional and proactive approach.

• A full valid UK driving license.

• Ability to hold Security Clearance – 5 years residence in the UK.

Callen-Lenz is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. It is essential that the successful candidate must, by the start of their employment have permission to work in the UK. Proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK will be required prior to commencement of employment.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.