Product Procurement Manager

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Primary Purpose of the Role:

To represent Procurement as an integral part of a campaign, Product or Project team, leading the resources of the function in order to optimise it’s contribution to producing competitive campaigns, and delivering profitable projects.

You'll work with internal stakeholders to ensure Acquisition or Sourcing strategies for a campaign, bid, or product or project are aligned to the needs of the business in the short, medium and long term durations.

Working closely with the product development teams to ascertain the work package needs, competitiveness objectives and target costs. Develop a supply chain architecture; negotiate with the supply chain, under these mandates, to obtain a complete and competitive supply chain architecture which delivers the full requirement of the product.

Deliver a risk managed set of Terms and Conditions of contract for all elements of the supply chain.

In project phase, work closely with key stakeholders and  functions as necessary, to manage all Procurement aspects ensuring work packages are executed in accordance with technical, program, cost and performance (quality and delivery) requirements. Work in compliance with the Manage Project process  (Chorus 2, 5.2)

Although the role maybe assigned to a particular business or location, the job holder may be requested to support the function’s activities in other businesses or locations across the UK.

Right for this role?

Essential skills

• Commercially astute with advanced negotiation skills and experience including differing contracting models
• Broad range of Procurement skills focused on: Needs Analysis, Design to Cost, Make-Team-Buy, Technical Interface Management, Acquisition Strategy definition, International Sourcing, Supplier Management, Risk and Opportunity Management, Subcontract Management.
• Leadership, presentation and communication skills
• Exceptional Interpersonal skills to optimise cross-functional & cross-organisational working, engage key stakeholders and to work effectively with suppliers.
• Negotiation skills in a complex systems’ environment
• Analytical skills
• Commercially astute with advanced negotiation skills and experience including differing contracting models
• Well-developed organisational skills

Desirable

• Major development/manufacture sub-contract program/project management experience
• Broad technical and commercial understanding of the Thales product and associated bought in supplied parts and services
• Ability to lead Make, Team, Buy decisions
• Upstream purchasing techniques deployment, especially Co-Development, Co-Engineering, Value Engineering, Value Analysis, Functional Analysis, Cost Analysis.

Essential experience

• Supply chain architecture development and implementation
• Experience in mid to senior level procurement or commercial roles
• Track record of success in a similar role in relevant businesses or markets
• Supplier Relationship and Performance Management, negotiation techniques and measurement

Desirable

• Experience of procurement tools such as E-ACQ,
• Have worked cooperatively with Engineering and R&T teams
• Experience in using ERP systems including Oracle (B1) and / or SAP
• Experience of presenting to end customers during bid or project phases

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In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!