Senior Procurement Manager - China

As part of its global sourcing strategy, McLaren Automotive is expanding its supplier footprint across China and the wider APAC region. To support this growth, McLaren has established a China Procurement Agency (CPA) operating model that leverages the scale, supplier ecosystem and procurement capabilities of its Chinese EV OEM partner.

The China Procurement Senior Manager will act as McLaren's in-country representative, providing day-to-day oversight of the CPA resources, ensuring compliance with the agreed operating model, and serving as the primary interface between McLaren UK, the CPA and the regional supplier base.

Responsibilities:

• Act as McLaren's senior representative within the China Procurement Agency (CPA).
• Work closely with UK Commodity Procurement teams to develop and execute sourcing and supplier strategies.
• Shape regional sourcing, supplier quality and supply base strategies aligned to McLaren business objectives.
• Exercise delegated decision-making authority on sourcing priorities, supplier engagement, resource allocation and operational expenditure within approved governance limits.
• Provide strategic direction to Agency and seconded resources, ensuring activities contribute directly to business performance, programme delivery and long-term supply chain competitiveness.
• Ensure full adherence to McLaren governance, policies, procurement processes and standards.
• Drive effective risk management and mitigation plans to minimise supply chain disruption and support business continuity.
• Ensure the Agency operates with complete transparency and provides clear visibility of activities, decisions and performance.
• Chair regular operational and performance reviews with McLaren UK leadership.
• Escalate strategic, commercial, quality or governance issues to the Head of Procurement as required.
• Provide oversight, governance and support across all sourcing and procurement activities undertaken by the Agency.
• Challenge sourcing recommendations and commercial decisions where value, competition, quality or governance requirements are not met.
• Ensure consistent and effective application of core quality tools and methodologies across the team: APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, SPC, 8D, DMAIC.
• Review and validate supplier PPAP submissions and ensure alignment with programme timing plans.
• Ensure all Supplier Quality activities delivered by the Agency consistently meet McLaren standards and requirements.
• Oversee supplier tooling readiness, process capability studies, and control plan validation.
• Act as the escalation point for critical supplier issues impacting quality, delivery, or launch readiness.
• Work closely with UK Supplier Quality leadership to manage supplier escalations, recovery plans and performance improvement actions.
• Drive delivery of cost competitiveness, should-cost compliance, VAVE opportunities and productivity initiatives.
• Maintain strategic oversight of supplier relationships across China and the wider East and Southeast Asia region.
• Support the long-term development of McLaren's regional supply base while leveraging the capabilities and supplier ecosystem of its Chinese EV OEM partner.
• Ensure compliance with Competition Law requirements, Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABAC) policies, ESG standards, Code of Conduct obligations, cybersecurity controls and data governance requirements.
• Ensure timely, accurate and effective reporting through agreed dashboards, KPIs and management reviews.
• Support the deployment of approved AI-enabled procurement tools to improve efficiency, insight and reporting capability.
• Ensure all AI solutions are implemented in compliance with McLaren governance, cybersecurity and data protection requirements.
• Partner with Procurement Transformation teams to define, document and deploy processes, systems and training, collaborating with internal functions and the Chinese EV OEM partner as required.
• Participation in industry forums, external panels, conferences or regulatory/technical bodies.

Requirements:

• Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Management or equivalent.
• Experience in automotive procurement and/or supplier quality leadership roles.
• Proven experience sourcing and managing suppliers within China.
• Demonstrated experience operating effectively across Chinese and Western business cultures.
• Demonstrated experience leading regional procurement and/or supplier quality organisations with responsibility for significant business spend, resources or operational activities.
• Proven track record of shaping strategy and delivering measurable commercial and operational outcomes across complex international supply chain.
• Strong understanding of APQP, PPAP, supplier industrialisation and launch management processes.
• Strategic Supplier Quality Management.
• Strong working knowledge of IATF16949, AIAG standards.
• Deep Technical Expertise Across Commodities.
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional and international teams.
• Extensive experience negotiating complex commercial agreements and supplier contracts.
• Strong knowledge of automotive quality systems, programme delivery and supplier management processes.
• Experienced in managing digital reporting workflows and supplier documentation using tools such as SAP, Excel, and programme dashboards.

We offer:

• Structured career development framework.
• 20 days' holiday, plus bank holiday.
• Discretionary annual bonus award.
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan.
• Life assurance benefit.
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service.
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping.
• Generous parental leave policies.
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice.