Senior Group Buyer - Indirect Purchasing in Manchester

If you are ambitious, self-motivated, hardworking and a team player and interested in growing your career with an International FMCG business, please read through our job opportunity.

Key Purpose: The Group Senior Buyer is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies across a portfolio of indirect spend categories including Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO), Site Services, Facilities Management, Engineering Services, Utilities, Professional Services and other indirect expenditure. The role partners with manufacturing sites and functional stakeholders across Europe to deliver sustainable value through cost optimisation, supplier performance, risk management, innovation and compliance with Group procurement policies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Purchasing Activities: Procure a specified portfolio goods or services always acting with honesty and transparency. Develop and implement category strategies for assigned indirect spend portfolios. Source and evaluate suppliers to establish a robust supplier base ensuring fair treatment and avoiding favouritism and conflicts of interest. Manage spend across categories such as MRO, engineering services, facilities management, utilities, PPE, waste management and site services. Deliver measurable value through total cost of ownership (TCO) rather than simply purchase price reduction. Ensure compliance with Group Purchasing policies, governance and delegated authorities.
• Supplier Management: Develop and maintain strong and mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers. Negotiate contracts to secure the best appropriate terms and conditions. Manage supplier risk, business continuity planning and contractual compliance. Ensure supplier compliance with company policies and procedures including adherence to environmental and social governance (ESG) standards and regulatory frameworks. Drive supplier development initiatives and continuous improvement.
• Cost & Value Delivery: Identify and deliver cost optimisation initiatives through specification reviews, supplier consolidation and process improvements. Support budget development and identify opportunities to reduce total operating costs. Track purchasing benefits and report validated savings and cost avoidance.
• Collaboration: Integrate business planning with appropriate cross-functional departments and divisions to understand their purchasing needs and ensure the timely delivery of goods and services. Communicate effectively with the purchasing senior management team and divisional leadership teams. Influence and propose solutions to ensure the delivery of critical group and divisional operational and strategic objectives.
• Documenting and Reporting: Support the purchasing administrative team maintaining accurate records of purchases, pricing, and other important contractual and supplier data. Proactively gather and analyse supplier and market intelligence, refining and evolving sourcing strategies as required. Anticipate and translate feedstock and market assumptions into annual budget and monthly reforecasting of portfolio spends.
• Leading by Example: Take responsibility for decisions and outcomes, setting a positive example within the purchasing team and towards internal stakeholders and external parties. Manage initiatives that may sit outside of regular buying portfolio responsibilities but support McBride’s vision and values. Guide and mentor more junior members of the wider purchasing team, sharing knowledge and best practices.

Key Result Areas: Delivery of Purchasing Team KPI’s relating to: Validated savings and cost avoidance delivery, maintaining or improving the cash flow of the company, ensuring required levels of supplier quality and service, contract coverage, sourcing in line company policies and procedures, proposing innovations or alternative developments / ways of working, championing the work of the purchasing team, and promoting McBride values: commitment, accountability, togetherness and aspiring to be the best.

Relevant and Quantifiable Measures: Portfolio spend of typically <£50m. Indirect spends: Contractual approval of up to £1.5m annualised (and subject to the McBride Group Financial Authorities Matrices). Buying on behalf of up to 11 McBride European production sites. Collaborating with more than 3,000 McBride colleagues. Support annual budget forecasting. Periodic administrative reporting duties: e.g. supplier risk assessment, contract management, strategy development. No direct or indirect reports.

Behavioural Competencies / Personal Characteristics:

• People Skills: Persuasive communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to collaborate with internal teams, and manage and influence stakeholder expectations effectively.
• Organisational Skills: Effectively follow Group purchasing processes, including planning, organising, and overseeing multiple purchasing activities to ensure efficiency and compliance.
• Self-Motivational Skills: Capable of motivating oneself and others, being initiative-taking and driven to achieve purchasing, divisional and group KPI’s.
• Sustainability and Ethical Skills: Promoting sustainability and ethical practices, engaging in responsible sourcing, and ensuring suppliers adhere to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
• Cultural Awareness Skills: Understanding and respecting cultural differences in a globalised wider working environment.
• Adaptability Skills: Anticipating market trends and being open to innovative ideas as well changes in the purchasing and wider external landscape.
• Accountability Skills: Taking responsibility for own actions, decisions, and outcomes, consistently setting a positive example to others.
• Resiliency Skills: Able to adjust to new conditions and recover from difficulties, staying focused on the task in hand and productive under stress.

Technical Competencies & Qualifications:

• Technical Competencies: Negotiation: Securing optimum and evaluated outcomes and terms with suppliers. Stakeholder Influence & Management: Data Analysis: Interpreting data to make informed purchasing decisions. Advanced Excel / Power BI preferable. Risk Management: Identifying and delivering actions that mitigate risks associated with our purchasing operations and ensure supply continuity and resilience. Contract Management: Ensuring contracts comply with legal and group organisational standards. Market Research: Interpreting market trends and understanding supplier capabilities. Financial Awareness and Understanding: Submit logic and fact-based pricing forecasts. Strategic Vision: Developing and driving category strategies that fully align with organisational goals. Supplier Performance & Risk Management: Assessing and monitoring supplier performance to ensure long-term reliability. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): interpreting supplier quotations and reporting back on a TCO benefit. Tender and RFQ Management: able to manage end to end process.

Qualifications:

• Educational Background: Educated to an appropriate level to be numerate, an analytical person and a good communicator. Must be IT literate. Working knowledge of SAP preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 4 years within an Indirect buying role as defined within this job description. Working in a fast-paced purchasing business environment. Fluency in the English language (both written and verbal skills) is necessary.

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