Campus Pride Jobs

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

GKN's Composites Centre of Excellence here in East Cowes is one of The Isle of Wight's largest employers, offering amazing career opportunities, unrivalled in most other Island-based companies. We're very much part of the bigger "GKN Picture", but very proud of our over-100 year history here on The Island, and celebratory of the fact that we do things a little bit differently down here.

We welcome applications from people currently based on the mainland, and are happy to offer our support with relocation.

Job Summary

Based in our busy facilities in East Cowes, here on the beautiful Isle of Wight, and reporting into the Global Commodity Manager, the Global Commodity Senior Buyer is responsible for managing procurement expenditure and product related services as directed, which must include maintaining strategic relationships with existing and future suppliers, whilst ensuring requirements are met on time and in accordance with the appropriate quality standards, delivering a highly capable and cost effective supply base, focus must be on the implementation of the Category Procurement Strategy, and support to the category management teams and other areas of supply chain management when required

The Global Commodity Senior Buyer will support the relevant category management products and services for all operating sites globally on behalf of the relevant site, programme and function. The role entails operating with a high degree of autonomy, whilst being an effective member of the commodity management team, delivering cost effective solutions for all global sites. A key element of the role is to ensure the category management strategy is aligned to the individual site and programme requirements, whilst ensuring ultimate value generation for the business. There will also be a requirement to support category management projects on behalf of the wider GKN Aerospace business, relevant site and programme.

Job Responsibilities

Typical responsibilities will include:

• Being responsible for supporting strategic sourcing for the relevant Category within the region and ensue to maximise leverage of goods and items procured;

• Supporting the commodity team to meet or exceed profit plan goals related to commodities including: Cost Savings, economics, working capital, quality, supplier rationalisation, Low cost sourcing and other agreed objectives;

• Taking Leadership when required for commodity activities in coordination with costing and engineering to drive a competitive advantage for GKN Aerospace;

• Supporting in the development of category strategies for the relevant commodities;

• Ensuring self-development in the field of Procurement;

• Supporting and preparing the Make or Buy decisions, preparing data and plans for relevant commodity gate reviews;

• Supporting efforts concerning supply base rationalisation and supplier development;

• Ensuring leveraging synergies across the GKN global network.

Job Qualifications

Suitable applicants will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Similar experience gained (preferably) in either Aerospace, Automotive, or similar manufacturing industry, including solid knowledge of supply base strategies, risk management, and supplier sourcing and management;

• First class communication skills, with the ability to deal effectively with suppliers;

• Developed contract negotiation skills;

• Willingness and ability to travel to supplier sites (mostly UK, with occasional EU and US), possibly up to 20% of the time;

• Any procurement-related professional qualifications (e.g. MCIPS) will be beneficial, but not essential.

  We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

  A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

  Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

  We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

  We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ​

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