Job Specifications
The Opportunity
We're looking for a commercially driven Head of Procurement to shape the future of our supply chain and lead strategic purchasing across the business. This is a high-impact role for an experienced procurement leader who can balance long-term strategy with day-to-day delivery, ensuring we partner with the very best suppliers to drive growth, resilience and innovation.
You'll head up our procurement and materials functions, develop best-in-class sourcing strategies, and own supplier relationships at senior level - ensuring quality, compliance and continuity of supply for our mission-critical technology.
Who We Are
OpenWorks is a rapidly growing business operating globally with a passion for exceptional engineering and building on a legacy of defence innovation in the North East of England.
Our products provide ultra-high performance, real-time detection, tracking, identification and targeting of dynamic aerial threats. They have been deployed internationally to protect high profile military and civilian assets, and contribute towards the defeat of nuisance, misguided and maliciously deployed drones during operations.
We are very proud to have supported a wide range of law enforcement and military operators, protecting many of the most high profile sites and individuals around the world.
The amazing things we do are only possible because of a dedicated and passionate team.
Why You'll Love Working With Us
Join a high-energy, collaborative team where great ideas thrive, challenges are embraced, and people genuinely love what they do.
Here's what our benefits have to offer:
Competitive remuneration package, salary from £70,000 with performance-related bonuses and clear progression opportunities.
25 days' holiday + public holidays, with long-service rewards and the option to buy up to 5 additional days.
Free breakfast and freshly cooked lunches every day, courtesy of Chef Mark and his team.
Private healthcare through Aviva, keeping you feeling your best.
Life assurance for peace of mind.
Salary sacrifice schemes - including EV car and Cycle to Work options for easy, sustainable travel.
Paid team socials - from quiz nights and football to board games and more; we love to have fun together.
Pension plan with employer-matched contributions to help you plan for the future.
A culture that empowers - we enable change, encourage challenge, and celebrate personal growth.
What You'll Be Doing
Strategic Leadership: Lead procurement strategy and drive long-term value.
Develop and implement a company-wide procurement strategy aligned with business goals
Establish procurement policies and procedures to ensure efficiency and compliance
Champion continuous improvement and supplier innovation
Supplier Management: Build strong, collaborative supplier partnerships.
Lead strategic supplier selection, negotiation and performance management
Monitor supplier performance and drive improvements in quality, lead times, and reliability
Risk, Quality & Compliance: Safeguard the business and supply chain.
Identify and mitigate operational, commercial and regulatory risks
Oversee supplier audits and ensure procurement meets ethical standards
Team Leadership: Develop and empower a high-performing team.
Manage and mentor purchasing, materials planning and supplier quality
Collaborate cross functionally with production, engineering, finance and contracts teams
Continuous Improvement & Value Delivery: Deliver cost savings and process efficiency.
Lead total cost of ownership and lifecycle value initiatives
Support lean, digital and procurement process improvement projects
What You'll Bring
Proven Experience: Strong strategic and operational procurement background.
Strong, progressive procurement or supply chain experience, including leadership
Track record in strategic sourcing, supplier development and contract management
ERP proficiency with analytical and commercial insight
Commercial & Analytical Skills: Make smart, data-driven decisions.
Strong negotiation, communication and problem-solving skills
Ability to translate complex data into actionable decisions
Leadership & Collaboration: Inspire teams and build trusted relationships.
People-focused, collaborative and able to manage multiple stakeholders
Calm under pressure and proactive when facing supply disruptions
Qualifications:
MCIPS Level 6, experience with ISO 9001, supplier audits or lean improvement
Industry Experience
Experience in a technical sector within Engineering or Manufacturing. Defence sector experience is a plus.
Vision
Help protect the territory and airspace of NATO countries and their allies.
Mission
Be a world-leading provider of autonomous technology for Surveillance applications and Defence.
Values
Be a Good Egg: Earn respect, have mutual trust and be honest
Do cool stuff: We develop cool tech with an awesome team, and we get stuff done
Be empowered: We are autonomous, reliable and take personal responsibili
About the Company
Dynamic. Intelligent. Autonomous. Products from OpenWorks include modular autonomous vision systems that deliver ultra-high performance real-time detection, identification and tracking of highly dynamic threats at long range. Specialist capability lies in our dynamic positioners, EO/IR optical units, approach to sensor fusion and common interface that enables the integration of third-party detectors, classifiers, interceptors and effectors. Our twin AI modules classify threat type, support prioritisation, and predict traject...
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