Manufacturing Buyer

Join a forward-thinking organisation based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire where procurement plays a critical role in delivering reliable products and services to customers. You'll be part of a team that values clear communication, continuous improvement, and practical problem-solving. This is a great opportunity for a Manufacturing Buyer who enjoys building strong supplier relationships, driving cost and quality outcomes, and contributing to long-term supply assurance.
Job Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end purchasing process for assigned commodities, ensuring timely and cost-effective procurement.
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships to support service levels, quality requirements, and delivery performance.
• Source, evaluate, and onboard suppliers in line with business needs, including conducting supplier comparisons and negotiations.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and commercial agreements to achieve agreed cost and value targets.
• Monitor supplier performance using agreed KPIs and take corrective action where required.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (e.g., engineering, operations, quality, finance) to understand requirements and resolve supply issues.
• Support risk management activities, including identifying supply risks and proposing mitigation plans.
• Maintain accurate procurement records, purchase documentation, and reporting to support audit readiness.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within procurement, including process and spend optimisation.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Proven experience in purchasing or procurement, ideally with commodity ownership responsibilities.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to influence suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Commercial awareness and a solid understanding of total cost of ownership (TCO) and value-based purchasing.
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to manage conversations at both operational and strategic levels.
• Analytical capability to review supplier data, identify trends, and support decision-making.
• Working knowledge of procurement processes, including RFQs, supplier evaluation, and contract/commercial management.
• Competent in using procurement and ERP systems, with the ability to manage purchase documentation accurately.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to prioritise workload in a fast-moving environment.
• Relevant procurement qualification such as CIPS (or working towards) is desirable.
• Experience with supplier performance management and corrective action processes.

Competitive salary + Bonus, 25 days holiday, Private Healthcare

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