Lead Buyer

It’s not just about your career or job titleIt’s about who you are and the impact you will make on the world. Because whether it’s for each other or our customers, we put People First. When our people come together, we Expand the Possible and continuously look for ways to improve what we create and how we do it. If you are constantly striving to grow, you’re in good company. We are revolutionizing the way the world moves for future generations, and we want someone who is ready to move with us.

Who will you be working with?

We are seeking an experienced Lead Buyer to join our team at the LH Group (a Division of Wabtec UK Ltd) based in Burton on Trent we support our customers through maintenance and operation optimisation with customised solutions for spare parts, repair, and overhaul activities on existing trains.

Role: Lead Buyer

Salary: £Competitive

Location: Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, (DE13 8EN) - (Onsite)

Hours: Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 16:30pm and Friday 08:00am to 13:00pm, 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time

How will you make a difference?

To ensure supplier quality, cost control, and project needs from tender to serial production, it is essential to enhance project contract margins through effective sourcing, supplier management, and risk mitigation. Leading cost-reduction efforts across all commodities and improving purchasing and supply chain processes for better sourcing efficiency.

What will your typical day look like?
- To manage a portfolio of suppliers with the aim of ensuring QCD performance
- Build, follow-up and monitor sourcing action plans.
- To protect the supply chain by ensuring that suppliers have the capacity to supply quality product within acceptable lead times.
- Take the lead in Supplier Reduction Roadmap
- Set up Supply Frame Agreements with strategic suppliers for production parts.
- Manage external suppliers in the Vendor List and identify potential new suppliers.
- Volume analysis on consumed stock to ensure price breaks are set in appropriate places.
- Lead key Strategic Supplier Review meetings and cost reduction teams.
- Visit supplier premises as required to ensure goals and objectives are achieved.
- Take the lead in ensuring supplier selection is robust and justified.
- Take part in contract reviews for Overhaul Project Work.
- Liaise with other departments and colleagues across the UK to meet individual and team objectives.

What do we want to know about you?
- CIPS qualified or working towards or equivalent Business Degree
- A background in purchasing, procurement, or supplier management.
- A proven track record of successfully partnering with various suppliers.
- Can you demonstrate the ability to utilise creative and effective procurement strategies to acquire services while maintaining supplier relationships?
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.

If you don’t have all the above criteria don’t worry, we would still like to hear from you as we live our values and always put people first and strive to expand what is possible.

Legal authorisation to work in the UK is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.

Who are we?
- Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for freight and transit rail as well as the mining, marine, and industrial markets. Drawing on nearly four centuries of collective experience across Wabtec, GE Transportation, and Faiveley Transport, the company has grown to become One Wabtec, with unmatched digital expertise, technological innovation, and world-class manufacturing and services, enabling the digital-rail-and-transit ecosystems.
Wabtec is focused on performance that drives progress and unlocks our customers’ potential by delivering innovative and lasting transportation solutions that move and improve the world. We are lifelong learners obsessed with making things better to drive exceptional results. Wabtec has approximately 27K employees in facilities throughout the world. Visit our website to learn more

- Our Commitment to Embrace Diversity:

Wabtec is a global company that invests not just in our products, but also our people by embracing diversity and inclusion. We care about our relationships with our employees and take pride in celebrating the variety of experiences, expertise, and backgrounds that bring us together. At Wabtec, we aspire to create a place where we all belong and where diversity is welcomed and appreciated.
To fulfill that commitment, we rely on a culture of leadership, diversity, and inclusion. We aim to employ the world’s brightest minds to help us create a limitless source of ideas and opportunities. We have created a space where everyone is given the opportunity to contribute based on their individual experiences and perspectives and recognize that these differences and diverse perspectives make us better.