Purchasing Manager

Absolute Recruitment are looking for a Purchasing Manager on behalf of our client in Smethwick.

Main activities and responsibilities

• Implement purchasing policies, procedures and best practice as defined by the company
• Facilitate the timely placement of purchase orders via the demand planning tool
• Manage the procurement process to ensure all items are purchased and delivered within budget and time constraints
• Management of the purchasing and vendor/product sourcing team
• Develop and maintain extremely strong strategic relationships with the chosen key Suppliers
• Organise freight and shipping from our Asian manufacturing facilities
• Maintaining the availability of circa 1300 live parts
• Manage purchasing budgets, stock targets and preparing forecasts where required
• Review purchase orders and authorise ensuring the accuracy of both price and lead time
• In conjunction with the Vendor and Product Manager, identify and source new Suppliers
• Establish and maintain an approved Supplier database
• Develop, negotiate and administer purchasing framework agreements/contracts with suppliers
• Monitor Supplier performance and compliance with contractual agreements in terms of quality and delivery performance
• Troubleshoot cost, quality, and delivery concerns
• Manage risk relating to quality, cost, and product availability
• Introduce performance improvement measures for suppliers and vendors

Education, Qualifications and Experience

• Qualification in purchasing, business, materials management, operations management, or related fields
• Experience in Supplier negotiation and procurement (preferably importing from Asia)
• Strong commercial skills preferably with a manufacturing background
• Working knowledge of Purchasing principles and practices
• Knowledge of demand planning and MRP/ERP systems
• Strong numeracy, financial and commercial acumen
• High competency level in MS Office applications
• Previous experience of managing a team
• Demonstrable history of success in a similar role

Key Skills and Competencies

• The ability to communicate at all levels, both in the UK and Asia
• High level of attention to detail
• Planning, prioritising and organisation skills
• Analytical and problem-solving capability
• Team player