Buyer, Hereford, £38-£40k

Overview

The role demands a confident, strong negotiator who is commercially aware, technically proficient and with proven experience in negotiating contracts for purchasing goods and services. Reporting directly to the Purchasing and Stores Manager, the Commodity Buyer will play a key role in identifying and delivering, purchasing pipeline savings projects that have a direct impact on key company objectives. Integration with the business unit teams is of prime importance, to ensure the supply base can support their efforts in the relentless pursuit of incremental improvement. The role requires attention to detail in the processing of purchase orders, sales orders and other commercial agreements to fixed deadlines and corporate imperatives.

Essential Functions

• Lead negotiations for designated commodity goods/services, ensuring any contract requirements are compliant with guidelines.
• Conduct sourcing exercises & commercial audits of potential new vendors to develop and maintain a competitive supply base, in line with Quality System and procedures for your designated Commodities.
• Hold regular contract reviews with suppliers, to ensure compliance and identify areas for improvement to feed into pipeline projects. Negotiate with supplier to optimise cost, quality and delivery.
• Identify pipeline savings for assigned commodities in line with plant and departmental objectives.
• Work with other departments to ensure all goods & services are in-line with company policies.
• Identify areas of non-value-added activity and suggest changes to processes to eliminate waste.
• Process purchase orders and expedite to ensure continuity of supply.
• Issue, review and assess Requests for Quotations to potential suppliers.
• Ensure all items/services are sourced and purchased in accordance with company policy & SOX, ensuring payment terms for suppliers are in line with PCC policy or gain approval for non-standard terms “NST.”
• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure all direct order and stores items are available as required.
• Develop, support, and manage logistics activities of sub-contract services, working with cross functional teams to ensure suppliers comply with established procedures.
• Review Inventory stock levels and adjust as necessary to ensure minimum holding cost without affecting supply.
• Enforce the PCC code of conduct in all commercial relationships.
• Understand and apply commercial/English law to all contracts. Ensuring contract terms cover remedies for poor performance and compliance with all safety requirements.

Qualifications

• Degree – in a related subject (Procurement, Supply Chain, Inventory Management etc).
• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply qualification L4+

Education & Experience

• 4-6 years’ procurement experience essential (ideally working within a manufacturing/eng environment).
• Experience of generating formal tender documentation and contracts.
• Global/European sourcing with experience of managing a diverse supplier base.
• Experience of working with SAP or an MRP system is essential.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Excel/ Word (Power BI reporting advantageous).

Competencies

• Proven negotiator capable of delivering results.
• Dynamic in approach and motivated to succeed.
• Innovative in approach.
• An analytical problem solver, someone who can distill complex issues into coherent solutions.
• Able to network and build relationships, with strong interpersonal skills.
• Self-reliant, flexible and resourceful. Sets high standards.
• Demonstrates assertiveness, determination and perseverance.
• Communicate effectively at all levels.
• Able to work to deadlines/demanding timescales.