Role Overview

Reporting to the Supply Chain Manager, the Materials Buyer will have responsibility for controlling the purchasing function to minimise stock and to ensure procurement is conducted with maximum commercial advantage for all project procurement spend. They will continually develop a sustainable cost effective supply chain with suppliers that has a strong focus on safety, reliability and continuous improvement.

They will also be expected to ensure the efficient utilisation of material resource planning (MRP) scheduled dates to deliver effective production planning and control of the materials and bought out components (BOC’s) to the point of use.

It is crucial to have the ability to create and maintain strong working relationships with current supplier base as well as expanding in line with the below duties and responsibilities. This candidate must be able to engage and communicate at all levels both inside and outside of the company.

General duties & responsibilities

Ensure continuous raw material supply to the site to achieve production demands, maintaining min/max stock targets in parallel with supplier lead times.

Raising purchase orders for regular stock items, non-direct material and sub-contracting.

Maintaining clear visibility of purchase order status; identifying potential late deliveries and taking action to mitigate them. Expediting on a daily basis ensuring a clear visibility for our production team.

Investigate and resolve any delivery discrepancies alongside goods in and stores department, communicating closely with suppliers to root cause issues for resolution.

Working closely with overseas and long lead-time supply base (China / India)

Maintain stock level values in line with targets set by Supply Chain Manager with regular analysis of targets vs actual.

Supporting the Supply Chain Manager with analysis of purchase price variations

Follow and support development of procurement department processes and procedures.

Ensuring prices paid for goods and services are in line with expectation; challenging and negotiating when this is not the case.

Support the movement of sub-contract material as well as the negotiation of sub-contract pricing.

Dealing with supplier invoice queries and implementing measures and corrective action to prevent recurrence.

Support the Supply Chain Manager on maintaining supplier agreements with critical suppliers, with a focus on fixed pricing, vendor managed

inventories and capacity allocation. This includes yearly tendering and price list creation.

Supporting the Supply Chain Manager with supplier audits and visits.

To control, issue and receive supplier status reports and maintain key performance indicators (KPI’s)

Instigating and implementing cost saving activities.

Close involvement with N.C.R to ensure the correct process is followed dependent on root cause and recovery. 

Heavy involvement in new product introduction and new product transfers in parallel with excellent housekeeping of the enterprise resource system

(ERP), ensuring the correct prices, lead times, order levels and supplier details are maintained.

To work within a team and be able to communicate effectively at all levels within the business.

Active participation at production meetings.

Ensure that you work in a safe manner and comply with the company’s Health, Safety and Environmental Policy.

To carry out any other duties not listed above as may reasonably be expected.

Person Specification

Knowledge, experience & skills

Experience of working within Supply Chain in an engineering/manufacturing field and have a proven ability generating positive change and delivering against targets.

Proven ability to work on own initiative.

Communicating effectively at all levels within the business and with a multi-cultural supplier base

Working under pressure to meet deadlines.

Ability to resolve conflicting situations.

Competencies

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word & ERP systems.

Excellent negotiation skills.

Flexible and adaptable attitude.

Effective problem solving skills.

Qualifications              

Full UK driving licence.