Bespoke Buyer

Real quality begins at source. Share your passion for unique luxury products with us.

Product quality always begins at source – with procurement. That’s why it takes people with an uncompromising sense of standards, an exceptional mindset and a real feeling for quality to procure the most suitable materials for each and every part of our vehicles. But the job doesn’t just end there. In their pursuit of uncompromising quality, our teams are tasked with ensuring all the materials they source continue to drive more sustainable and efficient production methods too.

Job Overview

Undertaking the Purchasing activity for Bespoke vehicles including: - evaluating potential suppliers, undertaking enquiries, sourcing vehicle projects and individual components, negotiating prices and contracts, raising purchase orders, procuring materials, project management of new vehicle developments, managing contract variations and bought out part cost, managing a portfolio of suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Supplier selection

Find suitable suppliers who are able to deliver vehicle projects in low volumes, to agreed cost, quality and time targets.

2. Price Negotiation

Negotiate and agree prices and terms with suppliers in order to achieve best possible costs taking account of design, volume and timing constraints.

3. Purchase order processing

Raise purchase orders for complete vehicles and Individual components to enable the business to deliver its objectives.

4. Parts procurement

Expedite Bespoke parts and materials on time for prototype and production build.

5. Project management

Manage the supplier development, tooling and manufacturing programmes to ensure that vehicles are supplied to the required quality standard and within the planned delivery timeline.

6. Supplier Management

Resolve supplier problems relating to cost, quality and timing constraints.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience of production component purchasing within an automotive environment or equivalent manufacturing/engineering setting desirable.
• Experience in managing professional supplier selection processes.
• High level of commercial awareness and good business acumen.
• Experience of handling commercial and contract negotiations with external suppliers.
• A good understanding of modern purchasing practices.
• Experience/knowledge of BMW purchasing systems and processes would be advantageous.
• An understanding of business / technical German would also be an advantage.
• Good technical understanding of vehicle component manufacturing technologies.
• Experience of project management and an understanding of the new product development processes.
• Good problem-solving ability required to overcome problems arising from specific cost, quality, time and logistics issues.
• Good interpersonal skills with an ability to influence key stake holders.
• Willingness to be flexible and to support the wider project team.
• Degree or equivalent qualification.
• CIPS qualification desirable.