Procurement Operations Manager

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 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Role purpose

• Responsible for the operational performance of suppliers within the Aerostructures scope.
• Leads a team of operational buyers that are responsible for ensuring delivery in line with operational performance requirements from suppliers across a scope of ~ £50-100m spend.
• Resource management to deliver against performance objectives focused on continuous improvement, people development and supplier delivery performance. Key Acountabilities

• Leads a team of operational buyers that are responsible for ensuring delivery in line with operational performance requirements from suppliers across a scope of ~ £50-100m spend
• Consolidation of site level operational procurement reporting, score cards, data, inventory and site level supply risks
• Accountable for the management of the people within the operational procurement team ensuring that PDP, development plans and succession planning
• Ensuring that the people within the operational procurement team have the adequate skills to carry out their roles, where skills gaps are identified, putting training and development plans in place to address them
• Responsible for application across the team of supplier scheduling in line with MPS and the accuracy of supplier and procured parts data within the MRP system to ensure that demand signals minimise shortages and eliminate unwanted inventory
• Accountable for External Scheduling – Vendor Scheduling, Purchase Orders and Point of Use
• Accountable for embedding standard procurement process into the operational procurement team including a daily start of shift meeting, a weekly KPI and objectives meeting and maintaining a daily regimen with all employees
• Working closely with other operational procurement teams to ensure standardisation of procurement process
• Accountable for the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process in regards to external supply reviews
• Accountable for the accuracy of supplier and procured parts data within MRP/ERP system to ensure that demand signals minimise shortages and eliminates unwanted inventory
• Development and delivery of continuous improvement plans for operational procurement
• Being the senior escalation point with the supplier for any issues relating to supplier performance
• Accountable for ensuring that regular supplier business reviews are held with all key suppliers
• Accountable for internal customer relationships
• Accountable for budgetary control for the Procurement Operations team. Job Qualifications

• BSc degree, or equivalent in a Business, Engineering, or Science discipline
• Minimum of 10 years relevant business experience
• Minimum of 5 years experience in Procurement SCM or Production Management
• Previous and significant experience with an international supply base
• A demonstrated ability to build relations with a supplier network and having insight in suppliers processes
• A demonstrated ability to develop a performance excellence organisation
• A track record of Leadership to work with cross functional teams What's in it for you?

We are committed to offer you a challenge but also a great opportunity to learn and grow. We want to offer you a career that c