Principal Buyer

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.