Are you an experienced manufacturing or supply chain professional looking for a role where you can take greater ownership, influence supplier performance and make a visible impact?
Ontic is looking for a Senior Buyer to join our growing Supply Chain team in Staverton.
You may already be working as a Senior Buyer, Buyer or Procurement Specialist. Alternatively, you may have built significant experience in materials planning, production planning, supplier scheduling, supply chain management or another senior manufacturing role and be ready to move further into procurement.
At Ontic, we recognise that strong Senior Buyers can come from different career backgrounds. Aerospace experience would be useful, but it is not essential. We are interested in people from complex manufacturing and engineering environments who understand how materials move through a business, can work confidently with ERP and MRP information, and know how to resolve demanding supplier and production challenges.
This is an opportunity to bring your experience into a role with real scope. You will take ownership of important supplier relationships, lead commercial discussions, manage supply risks and help improve the way we work.
Why This Role?
This is a varied, hands-on position where your decisions will have a direct impact on production, customers and the wider business.
You will manage a portfolio of suppliers and product lines, taking responsibility for delivery, quality, cost and overall supplier performance.
You will work closely with colleagues across Supply Chain, Planning, Production, Engineering, Quality and Finance to protect business priorities and maintain continuity of supply.
No two days are the same. You could be negotiating commercial terms, recovering a critical delivery plan, managing a significant supply risk or supporting an engineering change.
You may also be reviewing future demand, identifying cost-saving opportunities or helping a supplier improve its performance.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Take ownership of complex suppliers and product areas.
- Lead supplier negotiations and commercial discussions.
- Influence supplier delivery, quality, cost and performance.
- Resolve challenging material and production issues.
- Identify risks and put practical recovery plans in place.
- Support supplier development and improvement activity.
- Contribute to sourcing and supply chain strategy.
- Share your experience with less experienced colleagues.
- Work closely with senior stakeholders across the business.
- Help shape processes and improve the way the team operates.
- Build a long-term career within Procurement and Supply Chain.
You will join a friendly and collaborative team where knowledge is shared, managers are approachable and colleagues are trusted to take ownership.
What You’ll Be Doing
As a Senior Buyer, you will help ensure that purchased parts, materials and services are available when required to support original equipment production, aftermarket and spares demand.
You will be responsible for:
- Managing a portfolio of suppliers and product lines.
- Taking ownership of supplier delivery, quality, cost and commercial performance.
- Using ERP and MRP information to understand demand, purchasing requirements and changing priorities.
- Managing supplier orderbooks and challenging delivery commitments where required.
- Leading supplier negotiations relating to pricing, lead times, commercial terms and supply agreements.
- Managing material shortages, delivery risks and production-critical supply issues.
- Developing and implementing recovery plans with suppliers and internal teams.
- Requesting, reviewing and comparing supplier quotations.
- Supporting sourcing decisions and new supplier introduction.
- Identifying cost-saving and total cost improvement opportunities.
- Working with Planning, Production, Engineering, Quality and Finance to resolve complex supply issues.
- Supporting engineering changes and new product requirements.
- Identifying supply chain risks and implementing appropriate mitigation plans.
- Leading or contributing to supplier performance reviews.
- Supporting supplier development and continuous improvement activity.
- Maintaining accurate purchasing, supplier and commercial information.
- Escalating significant supplier, commercial, quality or delivery concerns when necessary.
- Sharing knowledge and supporting the development of colleagues within the team.
You will be given the freedom to use your judgement, take ownership and make decisions within the appropriate business guidelines.
Who We’re Looking For
We are interested in the depth of your experience, not simply your current job title.
You may already have a strong background in purchasing or procurement. You may also have developed the right skills through a senior planning, materials or supply chain position within a complex manufacturing environment.
You could currently be working as a:
- Senior Buyer.
- Buyer or Buyer Planner.
- Procurement Specialist.
- Commodity Buyer.
- Materials Planning Lead.
- Senior Materials Planner.
- Senior Production Planner.
- Supply Chain Planner or Supply Chain Lead.
- Supplier Scheduler.
- Supplier Performance or Supplier Development Specialist.
- Materials Controller.
- Purchasing or Procurement Lead.
You may come from aerospace, defence, automotive, precision engineering, electronics, medical devices, industrial manufacturing or another technical production environment.
What matters most is that you understand manufacturing priorities, are comfortable taking ownership of difficult issues and can build effective relationships with suppliers and colleagues.
You are likely to be someone who:
- Understands how demand, materials, lead times and production schedules connect.
- Uses data and systems confidently to manage priorities and make decisions.
- Communicates clearly and credibly with suppliers and senior stakeholders.
- Is comfortable challenging suppliers and holding them to account.
- Builds constructive relationships while maintaining commercial focus.
- Takes ownership and follows actions through to completion.
- Remains calm and solutions-focused when priorities change.
- Can balance immediate operational demands with longer-term improvement.
- Uses sound judgement and knows when an issue needs to be escalated.
- Enjoys sharing knowledge and helping others develop.
- Brings a positive, practical and collaborative approach.
What We’re Looking For
We would like you to have:
- Significant experience in purchasing, procurement, materials planning, production planning, scheduling or supply chain.
- Experience within manufacturing, engineering, precision engineering or another technical production environment.
- Experience managing suppliers, materials, orders, demand or delivery commitments.
- Strong working knowledge of ERP or MRP systems.
- A clear understanding of manufacturing lead times, material availability and production priorities.
- Experience resolving complex supply, delivery or production challenges.
- Strong organisational, analytical and communication skills.
- The confidence to manage challenging conversations and competing priorities.
- The ability to work effectively with colleagues across different functions.
- A proactive, commercially aware and solutions-focused approach.
- The ability to take ownership and make well-informed decisions.
Experience in aerospace, formal procurement qualifications or direct responsibility for complex commercial negotiations would be helpful, but they are not essential.
We are open to experienced candidates from related industries and parallel supply chain roles who can demonstrate strong manufacturing knowledge, supplier-facing capability and the potential to operate successfully at Senior Buyer level.
Why Join Ontic?
Ontic is a leading licensor and manufacturer of complex engineering parts for the global aerospace and defence industries.
We are more than just a business. We are a community of specialists where talent thrives, ideas flourish and careers are built.
This is an opportunity to join a growing aerospace business where your experience will be valued and your contribution will be visible. You will work with a wide range of suppliers, products and stakeholders, giving you the scope to broaden your knowledge and make a meaningful difference.
At Ontic, you can expect:
- A varied role where no two days are the same.
- Genuine ownership of suppliers and business-critical priorities.
- The opportunity to influence decisions and improve performance.
- A friendly, collaborative and supportive working environment.
- Approachable managers and a relatively flat structure.
- The freedom to contribute ideas and challenge existing ways of working.
- Exposure to Engineering, Quality, Planning, Production, Finance and external suppliers.
- Opportunities to broaden your responsibilities and progress over time.
- A fast-paced environment where your contribution has a direct impact on production and customers.
Benefits
At Ontic, we care about your financial, physical and mental wellbeing. Our benefits include:
- Competitive basic salary.
- Annual goal-share bonus.
- Up to 29 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.
- Ten hours of paid volunteering time.
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- Discounts and offers from a range of retailers.
- Learning, development and future progression opportunities.
Our Culture
We are more than the sum of our parts. Our success comes from empowering colleagues, creating opportunities and giving people the autonomy to make a difference.
Our values are intrinsic to everything we do.
- We share a common sense
We are a global family of specialists with a shared passion for precision.
- We have the freedom to choose
We encourage people to think differently, contribute ideas and challenge the status quo.
- We create the opportunity
We are change-makers with a clear direction and a can-do spirit.
Ready to Make an Impact?
You do not need to come from aerospace, and your current job title does not need to be Senior Buyer.
Bring your manufacturing and supply chain experience, your commercial judgement and your ability to take ownership. We will give you the opportunity to manage important supplier relationships, influence business performance and continue building your career with Ontic.
Apply today and help us strengthen the supply chain that keeps our customers and production moving.
We are a fast-paced business with ambitious growth plans; so if you are dedicated, enthusiastic and always seeking ways to improve, you'll enjoy a career with us!
