Senior Buyer

• Location: Swinton, Manchester
• Salary: £45,000 - £50,000
• Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent Contract
• Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week
• Reports To: Head of Procurement
• Closing Date Friday 13th November 2026 (COB)

About the Company

Luxfer MEL Technologies is a global leader in high-performance magnesium and zirconium-based materials, supporting advanced technology industries worldwide. From aerospace and automotive to healthcare, defence, environmental and specialist industrial applications, our work plays a part in products and processes that improve performance, safety and reliability across critical sectors.

About the Role

The Senior Buyer will take a senior hands-on role in sourcing goods, materials, components and services that meet business requirements for cost, quality, delivery, compliance and continuity of supply. The role combines disciplined operational procurement with strategic category leadership, supplier negotiation, market intelligence and confident stakeholder engagement.

Working closely with internal teams, suppliers and the Head of Procurement, the Senior Buyer will be expected to bring experience, judgement and commercial challenge to procurement activity, identifying opportunities to improve terms, deliver savings, support second-source development, reduce supplier risk and provide clear insight for senior management decisions

Main Duties

• Own and manage defined strategic spend categories, developing sourcing plans that support cost reduction, supply continuity, quality, compliance and business growth.
• Bring senior procurement experience into the current team, helping to raise commercial capability, share best practice and support a more structured approach to category management.
• Engage confidently with internal stakeholders to understand demand, specifications, risks and priorities, ensuring procurement activity is aligned with operational and commercial needs.
• Lead supplier negotiations, tenders and contract reviews to secure competitive pricing, improved terms, risk protection and measurable value for the business.
• Review category spend, supplier performance and market conditions to identify opportunities for savings, risk reduction, second sourcing, specification challenge and process improvement.
• Manage the supplier base for assigned categories, using SAP data and other performance information to support regular reviews, corrective action and supplier development plans.
• Monitor market trends, supplier capability, competitor activity and cost drivers, providing timely insight on risks, opportunities and commercial impacts.
• Purchase goods, materials, components and services in line with agreed cost, quality and delivery targets, using SAP and agreed procurement processes.
• Act as the interface between suppliers and internal departments on purchasing activity, supply issues, new projects and improvement initiatives.
• Prepare procurement reports, savings updates and supplier performance information for management review and SLT support.
• Support the Head of Procurement with strategic projects, annual objectives, savings delivery, supplier development and procurement capability-building initiatives.
• Contribute positively to the wider Procurement team, sharing workload where required and supporting regulatory or business-critical requirements.
• Undertake any other duties within the scope and competence of the role as required.

Essential

The candidate must have this

Desirable

It would be beneficial for the candidate to have this list (but not essential).

Qualifications/ Education

CIPS qualified or holding a relevant business or commercial degree.

Experience

• Minimum ten years’ progressive purchasing or procurement experience, ideally within a manufacturing, chemical, industrial or technically complex environment.
• Proven experience operating at a senior buyer, category specialist or equivalent level, with the confidence to influence stakeholders and challenge suppliers commercially.
• Demonstrable experience managing suppliers, negotiating terms, improving service levels and delivering measurable cost savings or value improvement.
• Strong category management capability, including spend analysis, tendering, supplier review, market insight and risk management.
• Experience working with global suppliers and complex supply chains, including situations requiring continuity planning or second-source development.
• Experience in industrial raw materials, commodities or market-index-linked purchasing.
• Experience supporting procurement transformation, team capability development or improved category-management ways of working.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong commercial, analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify opportunities and support senior-level decisions.
• Advanced Excel capability and confident use of Microsoft Office; experience of procurement reporting, performance analysis and savings tracking.
• Strong communication, negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work credibly with senior managers and technical teams.
• Ability to prioritize workload, manage deadlines and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a strategic view of supplier risk and value.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar ERP systems.
• Experience supporting senior-level procurement reporting or presentations.

Personal Attributes

Professional, proactive and resilient team player who demonstrates accountability, integrity, commercial curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement.

Confident contributing experience and constructive challenge within a developing procurement team, while remaining collaborative and hands-on.

Working Pattern

37 hours per week standard but will be required to be flexible with these hours in line with business need.

What We Offer

Competitive salary.

Annual Bonus (subject to Company KPI’s)

25 days holiday each year, plus bank holidays and the option to purchase additional days

Training and development opportunities.

A supportive and friendly working environment.

Luxfer MEL Technologies is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Applicants who declare a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the role will be offered an interview under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, wherever practicable and in accordance with our recruitment policy.

If you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this in your application, CV or accompanying cover letter. You may also contact us if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.

Export-Control Compliance

This role may involve access to defence-related goods, technical data or services subject to applicable UK and US export-control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), where applicable. Are you willing to provide the information reasonably required to assess and meet any applicable export-control, authorisation and compliance requirements?

Export-Control Authorisation

Certain duties may be subject to legal restrictions on access to controlled technical data, defence articles or services. Any access will be assessed in accordance with the applicable regulations, authorisation requirements and company compliance procedures. Do you agree to cooperate with the relevant compliance checks where legally required?

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. If you wish to request that your application be considered under the terms of our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please explicitly state so in your CV and / or accompanying cover letter.