Senior Buyer

Evolito’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of electric propulsion in aerospace applications in support of a net‑zero world. We will help revolutionise personal mobility and transform our towns and cities with clean, noise‑free air transportation. Evolito develops and manufactures class‑leading, lightweight, high‑power, and high‑torque‑density electric propulsion systems for a range of aerospace markets, including EVTOL, unmanned aerial vehicles and general aviation. As well as ultra‑high performance, low‑weight electric motors and controllers, Evolito specialises in high‑integrity, bespoke battery systems for the aerospace and defence markets.The team is scaling rapidly and has ambitious growth plans over the next twelve to eighteen months. As we continue to scale, we are strengthening our supply chain capability with a Senior Buyer who excels in supplier relationship development, commercial negotiation and risk‑based procurement to support Engineering and our aerospace certification testing roadmap. Reporting to our Head of Supply Chain, you will play a critical role supporting technologies at TRL 4+ through to industrialisation, driving supplier engagement and commercial strategy for components, engineering services, certification critical activities and industrial readiness.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Supplier Relationship ManagementBuild strong, trust‑based relationships with suppliers supporting Engineering, Testing and industrialisation activity.Engage suppliers suitability across TRL 4+, prototype development, certification testing and pre‑production phases.Develop supplier relationship and contract management plans, including KPIs, structured reviews and improvement actions.Monitor supplier capability, capacity, operational risk and suitability for certification and industrialisation requirements.Commercial Negotiation & Contract LeadershipLead and deliver on complex commercial negotiations for engineering services, prototypes, certification test services and strategic components.Develop, negotiate and manage service contracts and supply agreements that consider certification milestones, technical scope, data/IP, compliance and delivery risk.Drive strong commercial positions using understanding of cost drivers, market conditions and supplier capability.Ensure contractual commitments reflect aerospace quality, traceability, safety and regulatory expectations.Strategic Procurement DecisionsAnalyse insourcing and outsourcing options analysis in line with business plans, core competencies, requirements and capacity.Lead sourcing decisions that assess capability, cost, schedule, certification risk and industrial scalability.Prepare and present business cases for complex or high‑risk procurement activity.Maintain and contribute to supplier and supply chain risk registers, leading targeted mitigation plans.Embed risk‑based decision making across all procurement strategies, especially for certification critical and industrialisation critical suppliers.Supplier Project Management & Engineering SupportLead sourcing and supplier onboarding for engineering design, validation, testing and certification work packages.Support supplier delivery across prototype, certification test phases and industrial readiness.Manage end‑to‑end procurement for engineering, testing and aerospace critical commodities.Collaborate with Engineering, Test, Quality, Compliance and Programme teams to ensure supplier deliverables meet technical and certification objectives.Skills and Experience RequiredCIPS Level 5 or equivalent; MCIPS preferred.Experience supporting engineering teams through TRL 4+ development cycles towards industrialisation.Demonstrated experience managing suppliers within highly regulated environments.Proven ability to lead complex negotiations that deliver significant benefits.Ability to draft and implement robust, risk‑balanced commercial agreements.Ability to assess procurement risks and make informed decisions aligned to engineering and certification needs.Ability to translate detailed technical requirements and statements of work into strong commercial and contractual positions.Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills.Strong analytical capability, including cost driver analysis to support negotiation strategies.Excellent verbal and written communication skills.DesirableExperience using ERP systems.Knowledge of AS9100 or ISO9001 environments. #J-18808-Ljbffr