Buyer

Manufacturing | Procurement & Supply Chain

If you've built your career around purchasing, procurement and supply chain operations within manufacturing, and know how to manage suppliers, negotiate competitive pricing and ensure materials arrive on time to support production, this is a role with genuine scope.

We're recruiting for an established international engineering manufacturer looking for an experienced Buyer to support its manufacturing operation through effective purchasing, supplier management and material planning.

You'll work closely with Production Planning, Engineering, Quality, Finance and Manufacturing teams to ensure raw materials, components and services are purchased competitively and delivered in line with production schedules and customer requirements.

This is a hands-on procurement role combining day-to-day buying, supplier negotiations, order expediting and continuous improvement, with the opportunity to contribute to purchasing cost reductions and supply chain performance.

What you'll be doing

• Manage the purchasing of raw materials, components and services required for manufacturing operations
• Analyse Material Requirements Planning (MRP) data and raise purchase orders with UK and international suppliers
• Monitor purchase orders, obtain order acknowledgements and ensure deliveries meet production requirements
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing suppliers while identifying opportunities to develop new supply partnerships
• Negotiate competitive pricing, lead times and service levels with suppliers
• Support purchasing cost reduction initiatives and identify opportunities to improve procurement efficiency
• Maintain accurate supplier information, pricing, lead times, batch sizes and purchasing data within the ERP system
• Monitor supplier performance against key KPIs, including quality, delivery and commercial performance
• Assess supplier risks relating to delivery performance, quality, capacity and future demand
• Proactively expedite materials and components to minimise shortages and production delays
• Work closely with Production Planning to identify critical material shortages and implement recovery actions
• Liaise with suppliers to resolve delivery issues and maintain continuity of supply
• Identify opportunities to consolidate shipments and reduce transportation and purchasing costs
• Ensure ERP purchasing records are updated to reflect pricing changes and variations against standard costs
• Work cross-functionally with Quality, Production, Goods In, Finance, Engineering and Sales to resolve supply chain issues
• Support supplier performance reviews and continuous improvement activities
• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing processes using Lean Manufacturing and 5S principles

What we're looking for

The Buyer will need proven purchasing or procurement experience within a manufacturing, engineering or production environment, with a strong understanding of material planning, supplier management and supply chain operations.

You should also have:

• Previous experience in a Buyer, Purchasing or Procurement role within manufacturing or engineering
• Experience purchasing raw materials, components or services to support production requirements
• Good understanding of MRP processes and material requirements within a manufacturing environment
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems for purchasing, order management and inventory control
• A track record of managing UK and international suppliers
• Experience negotiating supplier pricing, lead times and commercial terms
• Ability to manage purchase orders, expedite deliveries and resolve material shortages
• Understanding of supplier performance, delivery KPIs and supply chain risk
• Strong commercial awareness and an ability to identify purchasing cost savings
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
• Understanding of supply chain processes, logistics and supplier lead times
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work effectively with Production, Engineering, Quality and Finance teams
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and improving purchasing processes

A degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering or a related discipline is required.

CIPS membership, or working towards a recognised procurement qualification, would be advantageous.

Experience with supplier audits, quality standards, Lean Manufacturing or 5S continuous improvement techniques would also be beneficial.

The role

Working environment: Manufacturing / Engineering

Department: Procurement & Supply Chain

Reporting to: Senior Buyer / Procurement Manager

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced Buyer who understands the demands of manufacturing procurement and knows how to balance cost, quality and delivery performance while maintaining reliable material supply.

You'll be joining an established international engineering business with a strong focus on operational excellence, continuous improvement and manufacturing efficiency, offering the opportunity to develop your procurement career within a global organisation.