At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive strategic purchasing, optimise costs, and manage supplier relationships.
- Company: Exciting manufacturing start-up in Tamworth with growth potential.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Why this job: Be a key player in shaping procurement strategies and making impactful decisions.
- Qualifications: Experience as a Senior Buyer in manufacturing and strong negotiation skills.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team focused on innovation and efficiency.
SF Recruitment are working with a fledgling manufacturing business in Tamworth to recruit a Senior Buyer. The Senior Buyer will play a critical role in driving the organisation’s strategic purchasing agenda, combining hands-on procurement delivery with a strong focus on cost optimisation, supplier rationalisation, and commodity strategy.
The role will act as the lead purchasing representative in the ongoing optimisation of the recently implemented MRP system, ensuring it operates effectively and supports business requirements.
Key Responsibilities- Develop and execute commodity and category strategies aligned to business objectives.
- Identify, deliver, and track cost-saving initiatives across direct and indirect spend.
- Lead supplier rationalisation activity to improve cost, performance, and supply resilience.
- Negotiate commercial terms, pricing structures, and agreements with key suppliers.
- Analyse spend data to identify risks, opportunities, and efficiency improvements.
- Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with strategic and critical suppliers.
- Lead supplier performance management, including OTD/OTIF, quality, and service levels.
- Conduct supplier risk assessments and contribute to continuity-of-supply planning.
- Support onboarding and governance of new suppliers in line with internal processes.
- Act as the purchasing lead in the ongoing development and optimisation of the newly implemented MRP system.
- Work closely with operations, planning, and IT to correct system issues, improve data accuracy (item master, lead times, MOQ, safety stock), and ensure the system supports effective purchasing and material flow.
- Support the Buyer in operational purchasing requirements where necessary.
- Partner with Operations, Planning, Engineering, and Finance to support business.
- Proven experience in a Senior Buyer / Strategic Buyer role within a manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrable success delivering cost reduction, supplier rationalisation, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
- Strong commercial acumen with advanced negotiation skills.
- Experience working with MRP systems; hands-on involvement in implementation or optimisation highly desirable.
- SAP experience advantageous.
- Ability to operate independently, influencing stakeholders without formal authority.
- Strong analytical capability with attention to detail and data accuracy.
- Results-driven, pragmatic, and improvement-focused mindset.
Senior Buyer in Tamworth employer: SF Recruitment
Contact Detail:
SF Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Buyer in Tamworth
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts, attend relevant events, and join online forums. The more people you know in the manufacturing sector, the better your chances of landing that Senior Buyer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its competitors. Understand their purchasing strategies and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. We want you to shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your negotiation skills during interviews. Bring examples of past successes in cost reduction and supplier rationalisation. This is your chance to demonstrate your commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Buyer in Tamworth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your achievements in cost optimisation and supplier management to show us you’re the right fit for the Senior Buyer role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about procurement and how your previous experiences align with our strategic purchasing agenda. Keep it engaging and personal!
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since we value strong analytical capabilities, don’t forget to include examples of how you've used data to drive decisions in your past roles. This will help us see your results-driven mindset in action.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the easiest way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us during the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at SF Recruitment
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Buyer, you'll need to demonstrate your analytical skills. Brush up on key metrics related to cost savings and supplier performance. Be ready to discuss specific examples where you've successfully delivered cost reductions or improved supplier relationships.
✨Master the MRP System
Since the role involves optimising the MRP system, make sure you understand its functionalities. Familiarise yourself with common issues and solutions. If you've worked with MRP systems before, prepare to share your experiences and how you contributed to their success.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Negotiation is a big part of this role. Think of a few scenarios where you successfully negotiated terms with suppliers. Highlight your approach and the outcomes. This will show your potential employer that you have the commercial acumen they’re looking for.
✨Build Relationships
The ability to build strong relationships with suppliers is crucial. Prepare to discuss how you've fostered collaboration in past roles. Share examples of how these relationships led to improved performance or cost savings, as this will resonate well with the hiring team.