Procurement Specialist (Direct Materials)

TL;DR

Procurement Specialist (Direct Materials): Managing the procurement of specialized chemicals and gases for semiconductor manufacturing sites with an accent on supplier performance, cost optimization, and strategic sourcing. Focus on building effective relationships with global suppliers and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure operational excellence.

Location: Must be based in or able to work on a hybrid basis in Manchester, UK or Hamburg, Germany.

Salary: £44,000–£53,000 per year plus bonus.

Company

A global semiconductor manufacturer committed to innovation, sustainability, and diversity in the workplace.

What you will do

• Identify, assess, and onboard suppliers to meet operational and development needs.
• Negotiate and procure BOM materials, including metal commodities, and manage POs and contracts.
• Monitor supplier performance across quality, cost, delivery, and technology.
• Execute commodity sourcing strategies at the site level in alignment with global objectives.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Engineering, and Production teams to deliver cost-reduction targets.
• Drive continuous improvement of end-to-end procurement processes and internal controls.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Procurement, Supply Chain, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years of procurement experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment with direct materials.
• Excellent English skills with the ability to collaborate across countries and time zones.
• Proficiency in SAP, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong negotiation, stakeholder management, and analytical skills.
• Ability to prioritize and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.

Nice to have

• Exposure to the semiconductor industry.
• Experience working with chemicals, gases, or technical procurement.

Culture & Benefits

• 33 days of annual leave plus hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Competitive base salary with up to 6% bonus and 9% contributory pension.
• Comprehensive health and wellbeing support, including on-site medical centre and income protection.
• Professional development opportunities, including leadership qualifications and funded academic support.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion with active employee resource groups.

Hiring process

• Recruiter review and initial interview.
• 60-minute Microsoft Teams interview.
• Final on-site interview.