Location: Crawley, United Kingdom

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

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.

2026 Procurement Graduate

Start Date: 07 September 2026

Salary: £32,000 per annum

Employee type: Permanent

Location: Rotational programme across our main sites; Crawley, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast, Reading, Cheadle, London and Templecombe

Working Schedule: Monday – Friday, 37 hours a week (8 hours Monday – Thursday, 5 hours Friday)

Are you eager to dive into the world of negotiations? Do you have the skills to build and maintain mutually beneficial supplier relationships? Are you enthusiastic about being at the forefront of supply chain innovation? Do you want to be part of a Graduate Programme that will develop and challenge you? If so, then look no further…

What the role has to offer:

Hands-on experience in sourcing and negotiating with suppliersOpportunity to contribute to cost-saving initiatives and strategic purchasing decisionsExposure to supplier management and relationship buildingLearning best practices in procurement processes and proceduresEngaging in market research and analysis to support purchasing strategiesInvolvement in contract management and legal aspects of procurementCollaboration with cross-functional teams for effective supply chain managementParticipation in implementing sustainable and ethical procurement practicesDevelopment of skills in risk assessment and management within the procurement contextOpportunity for career growth and advancement within the procurement profession

Description of role:

As a Procurement Graduate, you will step into a pivotal role at the heart of supply chain operations. This dynamic position will immerse you in the art of strategic sourcing, negotiation, and supplier relationship management, empowering you to contribute to cost-saving initiatives and informed purchasing decisions. You will collaborate closely with diverse teams, gaining exposure to market research, contract management, and risk assessment, all while championing ethical and sustainable procurement practices. This role not only promises hands-on experience and an in-depth understanding of procurement processes but also offers a springboard for professional growth and advancement within the procurement realm.

Graduate Programme

You’ll be expected to complete 3 placements across the 28 month scheme, these can be across various Thales sites and businesses in the UK so flexibility on your location is required for this role. Our main sites are: Crawley, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast, Reading, Cheadle, London and Templecombe.

At the commencement of the second year of the program, graduates will embark on MCIPS Level 4, sponsored by Thales, as part of their development within the Graduate Programme.

Requirements:

You will be on track to or have achieved a bachelor’s degree in any subject

Benefits

201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays)Company PensionHealth Care Cash PlanLife InsuranceDiscount PortalPerformance-related pay uplifts80 Hours Volunteering (first two years)Hybrid working (3 days on site minimum)

Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2026.  Induction week for all Graduate and Apprentices will take place from Monday 07 September - Friday 11 September 2026.

Closing date: Our applications will close at 11.59pm on Monday 5 January 2026, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2026 with details of next steps.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ROLES MAY CLOSE EARLIER THAN THE ADVERTISED DEADLINE IF WE RECEIVE A HIGH NUMER OF APPLICATIONS.  WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID MISSING OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY.

Recruitment Process:

For further information on our recruitment process or to speak to a member of the Future Talent Team or a Graduate or Apprentice, please visit Thales Future Talent - Connectr.

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales all our roles are subject to security restrictions. 

All successful candidates must possess the permanent right to work in the UK and will be required to go through Government security clearance at BPSS Level and to obtain full Security Clearance (SC) in line with the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) requirements below, prior to starting with us.

This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment.  Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. As part of the vetting process you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, eligibility to work in the UK, time spent abroad over the last 5 years, as well as employment and / or educational history.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels.

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

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!