Buyer in Whetstone

Job Purpose: Support the Supply Chain function by ensuring materials, consumables, tooling, and site supplies are purchased accurately and delivered on time to keep production running without interruption. This role focuses on clean ERP data, day to day supplier communication, resolving delivery and invoice issues and working directly with cross functional teams including Planning, Production and Finance to share reliable, up to date supply information. A proactive and organised approach ensures material availability, accurate reporting and smooth operational flow across the business.

Hours of Work: Monday to Friday – 08:30am to 4:30pm – 37.5hrs (30mins unpaid break).

Safety: Follow the site’s comprehensive safety regulations, promptly report any risks, hazards, or incidents, and ensure a safe workplace by adhering to all established protocols.

Quality: Produce accurate, high quality work by following clear instructions and guidelines. Maintain strong attention to detail, transparency and communicate issues clearly with practical options to support fast resolution.

Main Duties to Include:

• Raise purchase orders for materials, consumables, tooling and site supplies promptly, with strong attention to detail and in line with demand requirements.
• Placement and management of call off Purchase Orders in line with production requirements.
• Acknowledge vendor PO’s promptly to support customer confirmation and planning requirements.
• Expediting: Perform a weekly 4 week look ahead, focused on sharing supplier open order books, updating backlog dates, identifying supplier constraints and escalating risks.
• Communicate delivery dates for backlog orders, providing clear visibility to planning, production and other internal teams.
• Resolve invoice queries – working with finance and suppliers to ensure timely payment and prevent repeat discrepancies.
• Maintain ERP accuracy by keeping PO data, delivery dates and supplier notes up to date.
• Support inventory performance by providing accurate supply information to Planning.
• Reschedule purchase orders in line with shifting business demands.
• Meet departmental KPIs and year end objectives.

Growth: In this role, you’ll build deep operational expertise across purchasing and supply management. You’ll develop strong capability in PO placement, backlog control, expediting, supplier communication and ERP accuracy. You’ll learn how to identify developing supplier constraints early, support planning decisions with reliable data and collaborate effectively with Production and Finance. As you grow, you’ll also build awareness of the strategic measures used in procurement, understanding cost drivers, capacity limitations, supplier behaviours and the early indicators of supply risk, giving you the insight needed to work more effectively with suppliers and contribute to longer term initiatives. This role builds the foundation for progression into more advanced purchasing responsibilities as your capability and confidence develop.

Key Relationships:

• Supply Chain - Understanding end to end operations and how purchasing activity supports the full flow.
• Engineering - Managing specification requests, technical queries, and product quality considerations.
• Planning - Supporting demand forecasting, supply continuity, and accurate material availability information.
• Production - Responding to showstoppers, supporting contingency actions, and ensuring material readiness.
• Quality - Coordinating supplier quality assurance, inspection requirements, and quality related communications.
• Finance - Handling invoice queries, cost analysis, and payment alignment.
• Sales - Supporting project kick offs, customer expectations, and On Time Delivery performance.
• Customer Service - Providing accurate lead times, delivery updates, and supply related support.
• Suppliers - Engaging across the supply base, including strategic initiatives, performance management, and day-to-day purchasing activity.