NPI & Bid Manager

Overview

In this role you lead NPI and bid activities within a high-precision engineering environment. You will head a Projects & Bid / Project Procurement team, aligning supplier partnerships, production readiness, and value-driven sourcing with the company’s regulatory and quality standards. You’ll influence design-for-manufacture/assembly and make/buy decisions to shorten cycles and reduce total cost of supply. This position offers cross-functional impact across Engineering, Quality, Operations and Programme Management, with a clear path to senior leadership visibility.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Projects & Bid / Project Procurement team
• Provide clear project status updates and ensure business priorities are met
• Set transfer parameters and agreements for new products entering production
• Identify and nurture long-term supplier partnerships focusing on total cost of supply
• Collaborate with category managers to optimise supplier base and ensure performance
• Maintain agility in sourcing by monitoring market conditions
• Lead production readiness reviews and capacity planning
• Present and influence technology enablement to drive efficiency
• Support future designs with Engineering using supply chain intelligence
• Maximise DFM/DFT opportunities to reduce cycle time and cost
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Programme Management to meet objectives
• Implement make/buy strategies including turnkey supplier solutions
• Identify and deliver cost savings initiatives
• Report monthly to senior leadership on initiatives, risks, and progress against objectives

Key requirements

• Proven experience leading multi-disciplinary procurement or project sourcing teams in complex engineering/manufacturing environments
• Strong leadership with track record of performance and talent development
• Ability to influence across Engineering, Quality, Operations and Programme Management
• Experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management and category strategy in regulated sectors (Aerospace/Defence preferred)
• Commercial acumen with focus on total cost of ownership and supplier performance
• History of delivering measurable cost reductions and long-term value
• Experience establishing long-term supplier partnerships and negotiating complex agreements including IP
• Strong understanding of NPI and bid processes, DFM/DFT involvement
• End-to-end product lifecycle management knowledge from concept to sustainment
• Experience leading production readiness, capacity planning and make/buy decisions
• Ability to apply technology enablement and digital procurement tools
• Highly analytical with ability to interpret market trends, risk and supplier performance data
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement, including senior leadership
• Knowledge of compliance, governance, and IP in defence/aerospace contexts
• Eligibility to live and work in the UK

• leadership
• stakeholder engagement
• cross-functional collaboration
• strategic sourcing
• supplier management
• category strategy development

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