Senior Buyer - Manufacturing

Vickerstock are working in partnership with Sandvik on the appointment of a Senior Buyer, a newly created full-time permanent position with a global employer. The role is responsible for managing day-to-day commercial and sourcing activity, acting as the key escalation point for operational purchasing issues, leading RFQ and supplier quotation activity, and supporting new product development programmes. The Senior Buyer will also identify and deliver cost reduction opportunities while ensuring accurate and timely pricing information is maintained within the ERP system.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Category Lead in the implementation of category strategies and supplier management plans.
• Act as the primary escalation point for category-related issues raised by the Operational Buying team.
• Develop effective supplier relationships to resolve commercial, supply, quality and delivery issues.
• Monitor supplier performance against agreed measures and support corrective and continuous improvement activity.
• Identify and escalate supply, commercial and supplier risks to the Category Lead.
• Support the Category Lead with the preparation, issue, evaluation and analysis of Requests for Quotation (RFQs).
• Analyse supplier quotations and develop sourcing recommendations based on total cost, quality, lead time, capacity and commercial risk.
• Support supplier negotiations to secure competitive total cost of ownership and commercially sustainable agreements.
• Maintain appropriate sourcing documentation and ensure procurement decisions are supported by robust commercial analysis.
• Identify opportunities to improve the competitiveness and resilience of the assigned supply base.
• Manage procurement activity associated with NPI/NPD programmes, ensuring purchasing requirements are delivered in line with project milestones.
• Coordinate the sourcing and purchasing of prototype and sample parts with suppliers and the Operational Buying team.
• Ensure purchase orders for sample and development parts are placed in a timely manner and delivered against agreed project requirements.
• Work closely with Engineering, NPD and other stakeholders to resolve sourcing and supply issues throughout the development process.
• Lead and deliver cost reduction, value engineering and supplier improvement initiatives across assigned categories.
• Identify opportunities for supplier consolidation, specification optimisation, process improvement and commercial savings.
• Develop and maintain robust savings plans in support of agreed procurement targets.
• Track, validate and report delivered savings against agreed objectives.
• Support the Category Lead in achieving annual procurement and cost reduction targets.
• Maintain accurate supplier pricing, commercial and purchasing data within the ERP system.
• Ensure agreed pricing and commercial changes are implemented accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain data integrity to support purchasing, planning and wider business decision-making.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies in supplier pricing and commercial information.

Essential

• 3 years' experience within a purchasing/procurement role within manufacturing.
• Demonstrable experience managing RFQs, supplier quotations and commercial negotiations.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems and managing commercial data.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to assess commercial and supply chain information effectively.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work to deadlines and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Education

• Degree qualified in Business, Supply Chain, Procurement, Engineering or a related discipline preferred, or professionally qualified to an equivalent level.
• Experience supporting NPI/NPD or new product development programmes.

To be considered for this position, please apply to the link provided. All communication will be treated as confidential. Point of contact: Michael Irwin.