Head of Purchasing

Background

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars. With innovation at the core of all we do, every challenge starts with the same question.

How can we do it better? This restless spirit runs right through McLaren Automotive. And the search for perfection is evident in everything we do.

Purpose of RolePrincipal Accountabilities

• Accountability for cost and budget management for multi-million pounds direct-spend within your scope.
• Working cross-functionally with all departments to drive quality principles and commercial acumen into every aspect of our business.
• Establishing relationships and long-term development plans with suppliers based upon common goals and objectives.
• Contributing to a culture of continuous improvement throughout the business.
• Supporting and questioning the detailed development and intelligent commodity strategies that align with the
• organisation’s commercial and technology roadmaps as well as those of our key development partners.
• Assisting in the co-ordination and maintain elements of control within the activities of McLaren’s Purchasing team to ensure McLaren’s continued customer commitment of being the benchmark for customer satisfaction for both internal and external customers/stakeholders.
• Setting of clear objectives and monitor performance of your teams.
• Ensuring supplier requirements and concerns are fully understood and ensure these are fed back during the appropriate stages to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Developing training and development plans for your teams.
• Developing detailed and intelligent commodity/category strategies that align with the organisation’s commercial and technology roadmaps as well as those of our key development partners.
• Developing the teams’ capabilities to drive sound judgement in styling, engineering, quality and logistic environments.
• Ensuring close collaboration and interaction with colleagues in the Purchasing Leadership Team as well as important stakeholders in other functions.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• University degree in Engineering and/or Business Administration.
• Excellent motivational, coaching and leadership skills and capability to lead and influence within a dynamic organisation.
• 10 years of Purchasing management experience.
• Results driven and the ability to deliver against aggressive targets to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Determination to drive the Purchasing part of the Programs forward to ‘Best in Class’ performance standards.
• Enthusiastic and with a high level of self-motivation to overcome obstacles.

Personal Attributes

• Excellent organisational skills, deadline adherence and exceptional attention to accuracy and detail.
• Capable of lateral thinking and can make structured and objective decisions.
• Being able to present information in an informative and simplified manner; such that key decisions can be made quickly and objectively.
• High level of integrity and trust.
• Ability to go from the holistic strategic view and into the details.
• Ability to create networks and to lead cross functional activities.
• Ability to provide leadership and guidance in complex commercial and contractual relationships with a good understanding of legal contracts.
• Ability to step into negotiations and support the teams in the development of negotiation strategies and tactics for large and complex projects.
• Strong drive for continuous improvements.
• Excellent presentational skills and communication skills, both written and oral.
• Project management skills Good analytical skills.
• Preventive mindset but also leadership when it comes to solve problems or to take decisions.
• Proven supply chain management and procurement experience, dealing with both small and large value organisations.
• Demonstrable commercial success within an automotive and/or manufacturing environment is desired, but we are willing to consider all industries with the right competencies gained.