Purchasing Assistant / Administrator (Technical/Engineering)

Sayjo Recruitment Ltd are acting on behalf of a client to source a full time, permanent Purchasing Assistant / Administrator (Technical / Engineering). Our client is a successful, growing engineering company, who design and manufacture bespoke machinery, based on the outskirts of Barnsley, near Junction 36 of the M1. This is a new role, reporting to the Purchasing Manager, to support the continued growth of the business. This is a pivotal operational role in a small, close-knit business. The right candidate will be someone who takes genuine pride in the accuracy and precision of everything they do. Our client will consider candidates from a technical purchasing background who understand engineering components and materials, as well as candidates with no prior purchasing experience who possess a strong technical education and above all an exceptional eye for detail and a rigorous approach to administrative tasks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Purchasing & Procurement

• Review and interpret Bills of Materials (BOMs) for planned production builds, identifying all required components, assemblies, and raw materials.
• Research and identify suitable suppliers for engineering components, sub-assemblies, standard parts, consumables, and specialist materials.
• Prepare and issue Request for Quotation (RFQ) documentation to suppliers, ensuring specifications are clearly and accurately communicated.
• Evaluate, compare, and analyse quotations, assessing price, lead time, quality, and supplier terms.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, and discounts with suppliers to achieve best value for the business.
• Raise and process purchase orders accurately within the company ERP system, ensuring all details are correct before submission.
• Maintain accurate records of open purchase orders, tracking expected delivery dates and flagging exceptions.
• Proactively chase suppliers regarding late or outstanding deliveries, escalating risks to the Purchasing Manager where necessary.
• Assist the Purchasing Manager with stock level administration, monitoring minimum quantities and reorder triggers.
• Assist with inventory management tasks including cycle counts, stock reconciliation, and identifying slow-moving or obsolete items.

• Receive and check incoming deliveries against purchase orders, verifying quantities, part numbers, and condition.
• Receipt goods accurately into the company ERP system, ensuring traceability and records are maintained.
• Identify and escalate discrepancies, damages, or non-conformances at the point of receipt.
• Manage supplier quality issues, including raising non-conformance reports, coordinating returns, and following up on replacements or credits.
• Liaise with the engineering and production teams to resolve any queries relating to received goods.

• Pick and kit components and parts from stock in preparation for issue to the shop floor for manufacture.
• Ensure kits are accurate, complete, and correctly labelled before handover to production.
• Work closely with the production team to understand upcoming build schedules and anticipate parts requirements.

• Arrange freight and logistics for incoming collections from suppliers and outgoing shipments to customers, obtaining competitive quotes where appropriate.
• Coordinate building management tasks as required, including scheduling and documenting the weekly fire alarm test, liaising with maintenance contractors, and other facilities-related duties.
• Provide general administrative support to the Purchasing Manager and wider operations team as required.
• Assist with any other operational or administrative tasks that arise in support of the business, consistent with the flexible and collaborative nature of working in a small company.

Skills & Experience:

Essential

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, with a high level of competence in Microsoft Excel, including use of formulas, data sorting, filtering, and spreadsheet management for purchasing and stock tracking purposes.
• Outstanding accuracy and precision in all administrative work; this is the single most important requirement for this role.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with a methodical and structured approach to tasks.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks and priorities without losing accuracy.
• Clear and professional communication skills, both written and verbal, for effective liaison with suppliers, colleagues, and contractors.
• Numerically confident, comfortable working with pricing, quantities, lead times, and basic cost comparisons.
• Ability to read and interpret structured documents such as parts lists, bills of materials, purchase orders, and delivery notes.
• Right to live and work in the United Kingdom (this is a full-time, office-based role; no remote or hybrid working).
• Ability and willingness to commute reliably to site just off the M1; public transport not a viable option.

Advantageous (Not Essential)

• Previous experience in a technical purchasing, procurement, or supply chain role, ideally within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Familiarity with engineering components, parts, and materials; for example, structural steel, fasteners, pneumatics, hydraulics, electrical/electronic components, bearings, seals, or sub-contract machined parts.
• Experience using an ERP or MRP system for raising purchase orders, goods receipting, or stock management.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, engineering drawings, or bill of materials structures.
• Experience arranging domestic or international freight and logistics.
• A technical qualification or background, such as an apprenticeship, HNC/HND, or degree in engineering, manufacturing, or a related discipline, will be valued highly in candidates without direct purchasing experience.

Personal Attributes:

• The successful candidate will be someone who is meticulous and precise; someone who checks their own work as a matter of course and is genuinely uncomfortable with errors.
• Highly organised, with strong self-management and the ability to stay on top of multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Positive, proactive, and helpful; a team player who contributes to a friendly and cooperative working environment.
• A confident communicator, comfortable dealing with suppliers, internal colleagues, and external contractors in a professional manner.
• Resilient and adaptable, happy to turn their hand to different tasks as the needs of a small business evolve.
• Conscientious and dependable; someone who takes ownership of their responsibilities and follows tasks through to completion.
• Comfortable working with a degree of autonomy, whilst knowing when to escalate queries to their manager.
• Enthusiastic about working in a manufacturing or engineering environment, even without prior sector experience.

What’s in it for you?

• A competitive salary, £28 - £35k, dependant on experience and ability.
• Company pension scheme.
• Contributory Private Healthcare Scheme.
• Semi-flexible working hours within a full-time, office-based structure.
• A planned, gradual reduction in contracted hours over the next two years.
• A stable, permanent position in a specialist engineering business with a strong order book.
• A welcoming, small-team environment where your contribution will be visible and valued.
• The opportunity to develop broad operational and commercial knowledge across purchasing, logistics, stock management, and production support.

If you have the skills and experience we are looking for and feel you’d be a strong candidate for this exciting opportunity, please apply with an up-to-date CV and we’ll be in touch to discuss your experience and the role in more detail.