Administrator Who Wants To Become A Buyer

Simply Jobsworth; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobsworth Recruitment is working with an established business in Birmingham to recruit a proactive Purchasing & Operations Assistant to join its team.

This role combines purchasing, supplier liaison, operational administration and site maintenance coordination to ensure smooth day-to-day operations. Based in Birmingham, you will work closely with the Operations Manager and Procurement Director to optimise processes and deliver on-time deliveries.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in purchasing, procurement, operations administration or a similar role.
• Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Confident communication when dealing with suppliers, customers and colleagues.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Outlook and general office systems.

Responsibilities

• Purchasing & Supplier Management: obtain quotes, raise orders, chase deliveries and liaise about shortages or invoice queries.
• Operations & Customer Support: coordinate deliveries with production, update customers on progress and resolve issues.
• Maintenance & Site Coordination: log maintenance requests, arrange engineer visits and track work to completion.
• Health & Safety & Contractor Administration: maintain RAMS, permits and safety records; monitor actions.
• Administration & Reporting: update spreadsheets, assist with stock checks and reconcile records.

Skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Procurement knowledge

Problem solving

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Job description

Purchasing & Operations Assistant

Location: Birmingham, B10
Salary: £28,000 per annum
Hours: Full-time

Jobsworth Recruitment is working with an established business in Birmingham to recruit a proactive and organised Purchasing & Operations Assistant to join its team.

This is a varied, hands-on role combining purchasing, supplier liaison, operational administration, site maintenance coordination and health and safety support. It would suit someone who enjoys keeping things organised, solving problems and making sure day-to-day operations run smoothly.

You'll work closely with the Operations Manager, Procurement Director, Health & Safety Lead and teams across production, transport, sales and finance.

The Role

Purchasing & Supplier Management

• Obtain and compare supplier quotations, prices and delivery times.
• Raise purchase orders and chase outstanding deliveries.
• Liaise with suppliers regarding shortages, damaged goods, returns and invoice queries.
• Order PPE, site supplies, signage and other operational consumables.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records and supplier information.

Operations & Customer Support

• Liaise with customers regarding order progress and delivery arrangements.
• Coordinate incoming deliveries with production and yard teams.
• Monitor stock and material requirements, flagging potential shortages.
• Track operational issues and ensure actions are followed through to resolution.
• Support communication between internal departments.

Maintenance & Site Coordination

• Log machinery breakdowns, faults and maintenance requests.
• Arrange approved engineer visits and contractor call-outs.
• Obtain repair quotations and track work through to completion.
• Maintain servicing schedules and maintenance records.
• Escalate equipment safety concerns promptly.

Health & Safety & Contractor Administration

• Maintain health and safety records, inspection logs and action trackers.
• Coordinate contractor visits and collect required documentation, including RAMS and insurance details.
• Arrange site inductions and administer permits to work under the direction of authorised personnel.
• Monitor outstanding actions and paperwork.
• Help ensure PPE, signage and routine site requirements are maintained.

Administration & Reporting

• Update Excel spreadsheets, purchasing trackers and ERP systems.
• Assist with stock checks, goods receipt records and invoice matching.
• Resolve discrepancies with suppliers and the finance team.
• Maintain accurate records and provide operational updates.

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience in purchasing, procurement, operations administration or a similar role.
• Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Confident communication skills when dealing with suppliers, customers and colleagues.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Outlook and general office systems.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and following tasks through to completion.
• The ability to prioritise competing deadlines in a busy operatio