Skip to content
Updated How AI-exposed are the skills employers are hiring for? See the data →

From the employer's careers site First seen 5 Nov 2026

Senior Buyer - Powertrain

McLaren Automotive Woking On-site senior full-time

The employer hasn't listed a salary.

Apply on McLaren Automotive

Description

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, this is an exciting and unique opportunity to join McLaren Automotive’s Purchasing team.

The role involves managing multimillion-pound portfolios, coordinating supplier nominations and long-term strategies, and managing supplier contracts and commercial negotiations.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Management of multimillion pound portfolios
  • Co-ordination and full autonomy for supplier nomination and long-term strategies within a chosen function group
  • Manage Supplier contracts and commercial negotiations
  • Effective resolution of all critical supply issues and status reporting to the project team
  • Minimisation and mitigation of costs, project risks, negative relationships with suppliers and threats to the organisation’s ability to design, develop and manufacture products on time, to cost and at the required quality standards
  • Driving cost-down activities with suppliers and VA/VE activities
  • Lead pre-launch supplier management activities to ensure readiness for series production
  • Development of supplier evaluation methods and driving performance improvement initiatives
  • Driving all areas of the business to submit timely, comprehensive parts requirements in line with supplier lead-times
  • Execution of management reporting
  • Configuration and development of business operating systems to ensure effective working methods
  • Budgetary control of all associated cost centres

The successful candidate will have:

  • Ability to lead negotiations and support teams in the development of negotiations strategies for large and complex projects
  • Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills
  • Engine Commodity Experience required
  • Demonstrable commercial success within an Automotive and / or manufacturing environment is desired
  • Excellent organisational skills, deadline adherence and exceptional attention to accuracy and detail
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
  • Able to act under pressure with calmness, clarity of thought and decisive authority
  • The determination to drive forward the business to ‘Best in Class’ performance standards
  • Must be capable of lateral thinking and be able to make structured and objective decisions
  • Able to demonstrate a methodical approach towards problem solving
  • A high level of self-motivation to overcome obstacles
  • Results driven and the ability to deliver against aggressive targets to achieve the overall business objectives
  • A flexible approach to working hours and practices is necessary
  • Experience of launch management / new model integration
  • Ability to play a lead role in contract implementation and management
  • Good working knowledge of manufacturing and quality processes
  • Proven supply chain management and procurement experience, dealing with both small and large value organisations
  • MCIPS qualified
  • Previous direct procurement experience in a relevant industry
  • Have completed a minimum of two new product introduction cycles

We offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:

  • Structured career development framework
  • 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday
  • Enhanced company pension scheme
  • 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

Skills

Required

Nice to have

  • Automotive experience
  • manufacturing experience
  • launch management
  • new model integration
  • contract implementation
  • management

Ready to apply?

You apply with the employer directly. Their original posting is here: https://mclarencareers.mclaren.com/careers/JobDetail/Senior-Buyer-Engines-Ricardo-Account/59811

Apply on McLaren Automotive