The Buyer / Bid Co-ordinator is a dual-function role sitting at the heart of the business’s commercial and operational activity. On one hand, the post holder is responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and managing the supply of materials, components, and subcontract services to support active defence programmes — ensuring the right things are ordered at the right price, at the right time. On the other, they play a critical supporting role in the bid process, co-ordinating the collation of supplier costs, lead times, and commercial information that underpins competitive and credible tender submissions.
This is a highly organised, detail-driven role that requires someone who is commercially sharp, proactive, and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously across both live programmes and active bids. The post holder will work closely with the Operations Director and Head of Delivery, acting as the commercial engine that keeps programmes supplied and bids properly costed.
Key Responsibilities
1. Purchasing & Procurement
Raise and manage purchase orders for materials, components, equipment, and subcontract services across all active defence programmes, ensuring orders are placed accurately and in line with programme schedules and cost baselines.
Maintain a clear and up-to-date purchasing tracker across all programmes, providing the Head of Delivery and Operations Director with real-time visibility of order status, expected delivery dates, and any at-risk items.
Source and evaluate suppliers, obtaining competitive quotations and ensuring best value for money without compromising quality, lead time, or defence compliance requirements.
Manage supplier relationships professionally, chasing deliveries proactively, resolving invoice and delivery discrepancies, and escalating supply chain risks before they impact programme milestones.
Maintain an approved supplier database, ensuring all suppliers are assessed against quality, delivery, and security requirements appropriate to the defence sector.
Ensure purchased goods and services meet the required specifications, certifications, and traceability requirements.
Monitor and manage long-lead items and single-source dependencies, flagging risks early and maintaining alternative sourcing options where possible.
2. Bid Co-ordination & Commercial Support
Support the Operations Director, Head of Delivery, Engineering Director and Engineering Manager in the preparation of bid and tender submissions, taking ownership of the supply chain elements of proposals.
Approach the supply chain to obtain competitive valid quotations, lead times, and technical information required to support bid costing and programme planning.
Collate, organise, and validate supplier and subcontractor costs, ensuring bid cost builds are accurate, complete, and properly evidenced.
Maintain a bid library of supplier pricing, lead times, and capability information, keeping data current and readily accessible for use across multiple concurrent bids.
Co-ordinate bid timelines and submission deadlines, ensuring all internal contributors and external suppliers provide required inputs on time.
Track and manage bid actions, chasing outstanding information, maintaining bid registers, and keeping the Operations Director and Head of Delivery informed of progress against submission deadlines.
Assist in the preparation of bid documentation, ensuring submissions are well-structured, professionally presented, and compliant with client requirements.
Feed lessons learned from procurement activity on delivered programmes back into bid cost assumptions, improving the accuracy of future submissions.
3. Cost Tracking & Financial Administration
Maintain accurate purchase order records and committed cost trackers for all programmes, ensuring financial data is up to date and accessible for programme reviews.
Support the Head of Delivery in monitoring actual spend against programme cost baselines, flagging variances and potential overspends promptly.
Process and track supplier invoices, resolving queries and ensuring timely payment in line with agreed terms and programme budgets.
Assist in the preparation of cost reports and programme financial summaries for internal reviews and client reporting as required.
Identify opportunities to reduce procurement costs across programmes through supplier negotiation, framework agreements, and consolidated purchasing.
4. Supplier & Subcontractor Management
Build and maintain positive, professional working relationships with key suppliers and subcontractors, positioning the company as a preferred customer within the defence supply chain. Conduct regular visits to ensure compliance
Monitor supplier delivery and quality performance, maintaining records and escalating underperformance to the Head of Delivery and Operations Director.
Support the onboarding of new suppliers, ensuring they meet the company’s quality, security, and commercial requirements before being approved for use on defence programmes.
Assist in the development of framework agreements and preferred supplier lists to streamline procurement activity and improve supply chain reliability.
Attend supplier meetings and visits as required, representing the company professionally and gathering market intelligence on pricing, lead times, and capability.
5. Administration, Compliance & Process
Maintain accurate and well-organised procurement records, purchase order files, and bid documentation in line with ISO 9001 quality management requirements.
Ensure all purchasing activity is conducted in accordance with company authorisation levels, procurement policies, and relevant defence contracting requirements.
Support internal and external audits by providing procurement records and evidence as required.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of purchasing and bid co-ordination processes, identifying inefficiencies and recommending practical improvements.
Provide general commercial and administrative support to the Operations Director and Head of Delivery as required.
Person Specification
Essential Qualifications & Experience
Proven experience in a buying, procurement, or purchasing role, ideally within a defence, engineering, or manufacturing environment.
Experience or interest in supporting bid or tender processes, including supplier engagement, cost collation, and commercial administration.
Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple purchase orders, bids, and deadlines simultaneously without losing accuracy or attention to detail.
Commercially aware with the ability to negotiate effectively with suppliers and assess value for money.
Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel for cost tracking and data management.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to liaise professionally with suppliers, colleagues, and clients.
A proactive, self-starting approach — someone who anticipates what is needed and acts without waiting to be told.
Ability and willingness to obtain SC Security Clearance.
Desirable Qualifications
CIPS qualification (or working towards) — Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.
Familiarity with defence procurement regulations, supply chain security requirements, or MOD contracting frameworks.
Experience working within an ISO 9001 certified organisation.
Knowledge of long-lead item management and defence supply chain dynamics.
Key Competencies
Organisation & Attention to Detail — Manages complex, concurrent workloads with accuracy and discipline, ensuring nothing is missed and records are always current.
Commercial Sharpness — Understands cost drivers, negotiates effectively, and always seeks best value without compromising programme requirements.
Proactivity — Anticipates procurement and bid requirements ahead of time, acting early to avoid last-minute pressure on programmes and submissions.
Communication — Communicates clearly and professionally with suppliers, the delivery team, and senior stakeholders.
Reliability — Consistently delivers on commitments and is trusted by the Operations Director and Head of Delivery to keep purchasing and bid activity on track.
Adaptability — Comfortable switching between purchasing activity and bid co-ordination responsibilities as programme and commercial demands fluctuate.
Team Player — Works collaboratively and supportively within the operations and delivery team, understanding how their role contributes to programme and business success.
Pay: £28,000.00-£36,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
