Senior Procurement Engineer

Job Summary

The Senior Procurement Engineer is responsible for managing the end-to-end procurement of engineering, maintenance, operational, and project requirements, ensuring the timely acquisition of technically compliant, cost-effective, and reliable goods and services. The role serves as the primary interface between Procurement, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, and Project teams, supporting operational continuity, service delivery, and project execution.

The role is accountable for procurement planning, strategic sourcing, tender management, technical and commercial evaluations, supplier qualification, contract administration, procurement execution, and supply risk management for complex, long-lead, safety-critical, and regulated materials, equipment, components, tooling, and services. The position evaluates technical requirements, supplier capabilities, delivery commitments, and commercial factors to support informed procurement decisions and compliance with organizational, contractual, and regulatory requirements.

The Senior Engineer maintains awareness of market conditions, supplier performance, material availability, operational priorities, and project requirements, enabling proactive risk management and effective procurement planning. Through supplier engagement, technical evaluation, commercial negotiation, and procurement execution, the role contributes to supply-chain resilience, cost optimization, quality performance, operational readiness, and the achievement of organizational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Management

Procurement Planning

• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Maintenance, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Project teams to forecast demand, consolidate requirements, and develop procurement plans and schedules aligned with production, operational, maintenance, and project priorities, enabling effective resource planning and material availability.

• Identify critical, long-lead, sole-source, and high-risk requirements early in the planning cycle and challenge specifications where appropriate, reducing supply risk while promoting standardization and cost-effective procurement outcomes.

• Develop procurement execution plans for assigned projects, operational and engineering activities, providing visibility of procurement priorities, timelines, and delivery commitments.

Strategic Sourcing & Tender Management

• Determine and implement the most suitable sourcing approach, including competitive bidding, limited tendering, framework agreements, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) sourcing, balancing technical compliance, supplier capability, delivery requirements, commercial value, and supply risk.

• Manage Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Quotation (RFQ), Requests for Proposal (RFP), and tender processes from initiation through award, maintaining compliance with procurement governance requirements.

• Conduct market intelligence, supplier benchmarking, commercial assessments, and supplier engagement activities, strengthening supply resilience, commercial competitiveness, and sourcing effectiveness.

• Prepare technical and commercial evaluation recommendations and identify opportunities for sourcing leverage and procurement consolidation, maximizing value and economies of scale.

Technical Procurement & Evaluation

• Review technical specifications, engineering drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), scopes of work, manufacturing requirements, and operational standards to ensure procurement solutions accurately reflect business and technical needs.

• Lead technical and commercial evaluations of components, assemblies, equipment, tooling, materials, systems, and services, safeguarding compliance with engineering, quality, safety, regulatory, and operational requirements.

• Assess technical deviations, alternative technologies, lifecycle costs, maintainability, manufacturability, reliability, supportability, supplier capability, warranty provisions, and after-sales support arrangements, supporting value-driven procurement decisions and long-term operational sustainability.

• Lead technical clarification activities with suppliers and stakeholders and support engineering modifications, configuration changes, obsolescence management, standardization initiatives, and product improvement initiatives, reinforcing long-term operational performance and lifecycle value.

• Participate in inspections, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), product acceptance, and handover activities, validating compliance with approved specifications and performance expectations.

Supplier, Contract & Commercial Management

• Identify, prequalify, evaluate, and manage suppliers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), distributors, contractors, and specialized service providers, strengthening the capability and reliability of the approved supplier network.

• Conduct supplier due diligence covering technical capability, quality systems, production capacity, financial stability, regulatory compliance, delivery performance, and business continuity arrangements, minimizing supply chain vulnerabilities.

• Negotiate pricing, service levels, delivery schedules, warranties, commercial terms, and contractual obligations, maximizing commercial value while protecting organizational interests.

• Monitor supplier performance, capacity, and contractual compliance through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), driving continuous improvement, accountability, and delivery reliability.

• Manage supplier development initiatives, contractual amendments, renewals, closeouts, and performance-related issues, minimizing operational, financial, and project-delivery impacts.

Procurement Operations & Critical Asset Support

• Manage procurement activities from requisition through purchase order issuance, expediting, delivery, receipt, and closeout, maintaining uninterrupted availability of goods and services.

• Monitor critical procurement packages... reducing risks to operational activities, maintenance requirements, and project schedules.

• Coordinate with suppliers, logistics providers, warehouses, and internal stakeholders to support efficient material flow, inventory availability, and execution readiness.

• Support procurement requirements for engineering projects, operational activities, manufacturing operations, specialized tooling, testing equipment, repair services, safety-critical components, and critical spare parts, contributing to operational readiness and project success.

• Support urgent, emergency, and business continuity procurement activities, safeguarding operational continuity and delivery commitments.

• Coordinate procurement support for shutdowns, preventive maintenance programmes, asset replacement initiatives, and major operational campaigns, ensuring resource readiness and execution effectiveness.

• Support urgent, emergency, and business continuity procurement requirements, safeguarding operational readiness and service continuity.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate supplier, technical, commercial, contractual, quality, geopolitical, and supply chain risks, strengthening procurement resilience and business continuity.

• Develop contingency sourcing strategies and maintain risk registers for critical suppliers, sole-source dependencies, long-lead components, specialized materials, and constrained supply markets, improving supply assurance and risk preparedness.

• Ensure procurement activities comply with organizational policies, contractual obligations, quality requirements, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) standards, security protocols, export control requirements, applicable International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, and regulatory requirements, maintaining compliance, protecting organizational interests, and strengthening supply chain integrity.

• Support inventory optimization and critical spare parts planning, balancing operational reliability, material availability, and inventory efficiency.

• Monitor procurement and supplier performance trends and benchmark results against industry practices, providing insights that support informed decision-making and value realization. compliance, reduced operational risk, and strengthened organizational reputation.

Organizational Contribution

• Contribute to knowledge sharing, capability development, and the adoption of leading practices to strengthen organizational performance, professional growth, and operational effectiveness.

• Support internal and external audits, inspections, assurance activities, and compliance reviews by providing accurate records, documentation, technical evidence, and timely responses to audit requirements.

• Support continuous improvement, lessons learned, and performance analysis initiatives while promoting the implementation of controls best practices, standards, methodologies, and governance requirements to enhance project delivery performance and organizational efficiency.

• Undertake additional responsibilities assigned by the line manager to support departmental and organizational objectives.

Qualification & Experience

Qualification

• Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related engineering discipline.

• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Level 4 Advanced Certificate in Procurement and Supply or higher, or an equivalent certification.

Experience

• 6 years of progressive experience in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Management, Engineering Procurement, or Contract Management within aerospace, aviation, defence, advanced manufacturing, or other complex hardware manufacturing environments in public- or private-sector organizations.

• Experience sourcing technically complex, long-lead, safety-critical, and high-value components, materials, equipment, and services, supporting operational continuity, service delivery, and project execution.

• Strong experience in supplier management, technical and commercial evaluation, tendering, contract administration, and procurement execution, ensuring alignment with business and operational requirements.

• Experience interpreting engineering specifications, technical drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and supplier technical submissions, supporting compliant and informed procurement decisions.

Success Measures (KPIs)

• Procurement Cycle Time (%): Percentage of procurement activities completed within agreed timelines, supporting timely project execution, service delivery, and operational requirements.

• On-Time Delivery Performance (%): Percentage of materials, components, equipment, and services delivered in accordance with agreed schedules, supporting production continuity and operational readiness.

• Technical Compliance Rate (%): Percentage of procured goods and services meeting approved technical specifications, quality standards, and contractual requirements upon acceptance.

• Supplier Performance Compliance (%): Percentage of suppliers achieving agreed KPIs) SLAs, quality standards, and delivery commitments .

• Procurement Cost Optimization (%): Percentage achievement of approved cost savings, cost avoidance, value engineering, and commercial improvement initiatives.

• Supply Risk Mitigation Effectiveness (%): Percentage of identified procurement and supply chain risks effectively mitigated through approved sourcing and contingency strategies.

• Critical Material Availability (%): Percentage availability of critical materials, components, equipment, tooling, and spare parts required to support operational requirements, maintenance activities, and project execution.

• Contract & Commercial Compliance (%): Percentage of procurement activities executed in accordance with approved contracts, procurement policies, and delegated authority requirements.

• Compliance Rate (Percentage %): Percentage of activities compliant with organizational policies, procedures, governance standards, HSE, ESG, CSR, and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

• Audit Closure Rate (Percentage %): Percentage of internal and external audit findings addressed and closed within agreed timelines to ensure effective corrective actions and audit readiness.

Job Challenges

• Managing the procurement of technically complex, long-lead, safety-critical, and regulated components, materials, equipment, and services, where supply disruptions, quality issues, or delivery delays may impact operational activities, project schedules, service delivery, and organizational objectives.

• Balancing technical requirements, quality standards, supplier capability, delivery commitments, commercial objectives, and risk considerations while supporting cost-effective and timely procurement outcomes.

• Coordinating with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, Maintenance, and Project teams, suppliers, OEMs, and service providers with competing priorities and operational constraints, while maintaining procurement schedules and business requirements.

• Supporting procurement activities for engineering changes, new product introductions, obsolescence management, and lifecycle support requirements while maintaining product integrity, compliance, and supply continuity.

• Identifying, escalating, and driving resolution of supplier performance issues, supply chain risks, contractual challenges, material shortages, and quality concerns while ensuring compliance with procurement policies, governance requirements, and applicable regulatory obligations.