Senior Buyer

Main Purpose:

Reporting directly to Purchase Manager, the role is primarily responsible for ensuring Supplier Performance is in line with the business expectations and when necessary, assisting stakeholders in establishing and managing resolution issues relating to part availability.

Also responsible for supporting the manufacturing location’s operations team in achieving their KPI’s and business objectives in particular relation to supplier capacity, incoming quality and supplier related warranty issues.

The role will be required to have an in depth understanding of the supply base and be able to influence it accordingly to consistently receive the required level of service.

The role will provide the link between the category management team and the business and will therefore be able to support any given change management programme that is being implemented.

As the Senior Buyer will deputise for the Purchase Manager, the secondary part of the role (experience & capacity dependant) will be to take on some additional responsibility which could be, but not inclusive of:

➢ Managing a commercial portfolio.

➢ Managing a NPIP programme.

➢ Producing monthly financial reports.

➢ Managing people.

It is imperative that the person in this role is able to build constructive relationships with all stakeholders.

Key Performance Area’s:

Strategy Development & Deployment: Support category strategy development and define supplier performance criteria based on business knowledge and intelligence.

Supplier Performance & Delivery: To facilitate and execute strategies, new product launches and supplier recovery and / or improvement programmes.

Relationship & Business Integration: Initiate and build stakeholder relationships to ensure delivery of projects. Identify the business structure and understand the collaboration required in order to deliver projects, programmes and strategies.

Teamwork & Self Development: Integrates within the team and drives personal development.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Development & Deployment:

▪ Providing local input into the creation of category strategies.

▪ Assists category teams with developing a category execution plan and drives a system to monitor and manage supplier performance through KPI’s.

▪ Deliver robust implementation plans in line with the sourcing strategy. These plans should support, but not be limited to:

➢ Effective early supplier engagement.

➢ Cost Saving projects.

➢ Tendering.

➢ Contracting.

➢ Capacity management.

➢ Supplier performance targets.

▪ Monitors progress of strategies and modifies in line with the changing business environment.

▪ Works with the team to develop commercial contracts to deliver the needs of the business.

▪ Liaises with the business functions to ensure the implementation of the strategy.

▪ Works with stakeholders to ensure implementation of supply contracts.

Supplier Performance & Delivery:

▪ Works with the category team and SDE’s to monitor supplier performance against agreed framework.

▪ In extreme scenario’s will co-ordinate and manage group allocation decisions and priorities.

▪ Ensure that the supply base supporting the manufacturing site and / or category are communicated appropriately with regards to forward planning and significant volume fluctuations.

▪ Manage supplier performance escalations from the Materials Team and have responsibility for closing Supplier Delivery 8D’s for relevant categories.

▪ Deals with suppliers and customers on rectification of performance issues in relation to quality issues.

▪ Support the launch activities required within the category and / or manufacturing location to ensure the supply base meets the timing, quality and cost expectations of a relevant programme.

▪ Represent Purchasing in the Top 10 Warranty reviews and close out supplier related issues within the required KPI’s.

▪ To act on alerts created from the continuous risk assessment process and to ensure Business Continuity plans are in place with appropriate suppliers.

Relationship & Business Integration:

▪ Maps the key stakeholders that need to be established and relationship maintained.

▪ Uses agreed reporting and communication tools to ensure all stakeholders are informed of Purchasing initiatives.

▪ Builds relationships to ensure buy in to strategy and delivery of key projects.

▪ Establishes credibility by ensuring timely resolution of issues arising. Delivers on commitments made.

▪ Develops working relationship with key suppliers ensuring that performance targets are met.

▪ Interacts with stakeholders to ensure effective integration to drive improved performance.

▪ Lobbies operational support and buy in for relevant category management initiatives and resource management strategies.

▪ Feedback local intelligence to category teams to support strategy creation and / or supplier positioning reviews.

Teamwork & Self Development:

▪ Ensure that there is effective communication between all teams within the Purchasing function.

▪ Share knowledge and best practice with your peers across other manufacturing locations.

▪ Update and maintain the out of ordinary communication tracker to ensure significant concerns are shared and escalated.

▪ Addresses internal performance issues that may be hindering the supplier’s ability to supply. They could be, but not limited to:

➢ Payment issues.

➢ Booking discrepancies.

➢ Packaging returns & capacity.

➢ Scheduling issues.

▪ Understands the business performance requirements and effectively communicates to the other category teams.

▪ Drives personal development plan to ensure that when deputising for the Purchase Manager the level of performance is maintained.

Skills

▪ Strong interpersonal and communication skills

▪ Proven change management skills

▪ Demonstrate effective multi-functional team working

▪ Ability to manage changing business requirements

▪ Influential dexterity

▪ Conflict resolution ability

▪ Practical Problem Solving

Knowledge

▪ Category & Supplier Management in a Global organisation

▪ Cost and pricing management

▪ Performance & Change management

▪ Contract management

▪ Financial awareness

Experience & Qualifications

▪ Purchasing in an Engineering and production environment

▪ Holding and building relationships within a global and matrix organisation

▪ Engineering, Materials and/or Programme Management understanding

▪ Graduate or Apprenticeship qualifications

▪ Preferably CIPS qualified

▪ 5 years relevant experience

Excellent package & opportunity. Call Rachel NOW on (phone number removed) or apply online with CV Library