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About the Role
As a Buyer, you’ll play a key role within the Procurement team, working closely with the Senior Buyer to source and manage a diverse portfolio of engineering components, materials, and services. You’ll help ensure the best balance of cost, quality, and delivery performance while supporting the procurement process from requirement through to supply. This includes interpreting and converting Bills of Materials (BoMs) into purchasing requirements, helping to keep projects on track and supply chains running efficiently.
The Buyer will also support the Senior Buyer in improving purchasing processes to increase efficiency and deliver value across the business.
Duties
The Buyer will be responsible for:
- Requesting quotations from approved and prospective suppliers
- Analysing quotations and selecting suppliers based on price, quality, delivery and capability
- Raising purchase orders and issuing purchase order numbers in accordance with company procedures
- Leading negotiations with suppliers to achieve cost reductions and improved commercial terms
- Maintaining and developing effective relationships with the supply base
- Ensuring that parts, materials and services are purchased at competitive prices and delivered on time without compromising quality
- Identifying and evaluating new suppliers
- Negotiating improved payment terms, supplier agreements and commercial arrangements
- Supporting the reduction or rationalisation of underperforming suppliers where appropriate
- Resolving invoice and purchase order queries with suppliers and the Finance team
- Supporting the Senior Buyer in developing key suppliers and maintaining supplier KPIs in accordance with the Senior Buyer’s direction
- Working closely with Engineering, Design and other relevant stakeholders to support new projects, new concepts and materials-estimating activities
- Overseeing the return of rejected, surplus or incorrect goods and monitoring the receipt of supplier credits
- Communicating with the Finance team regarding costs, credits and new or existing suppliers
- Identifying opportunities to improve purchasing methods, increase efficiency and reduce external expenditure
- Maintaining accurate purchasing and supplier records within the company’s systems
- Carrying out other reasonable duties consistent with the responsibilities of the role
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Skills/Qualifications
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The Buyer should have:
- A minimum of CIPS Level 3, or an equivalent relevant qualification
- Proven purchasing experience within an engineering or manufacturing environment
- Strong negotiation skills and a confident commercial approach
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Competence in the use of Sage 200, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word
- The ability to interpret Bills of Materials and technical purchasing requirements
- The ability to organise and prioritise competing workloads
- Strong attention to detail and a high level of accuracy
- The ability to solve problems, use initiative and make appropriate decisions independently
- The ability to build effective working relationships and work well as part of a team
Additional Information
SECURITY – All candidates must be in a position to obtain UK security clearance to SC level. Additional restrictions may apply on certain defence programmes.
UKSV National Security Vetting Solution: guidance for applicants – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Apply by emailing your CV to hr@sts-defence.com
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