Assistant Purchasing Manager

Smart10 Ltd, Trading as SMT Recruitment; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus 10-20%

1 day WFH

Job summary

SMT Recruitment is seeking an Assistant Purchasing Manager in Derby to manage end-to-end purchasing with a focus on international suppliers and imports/exports. You will build strong supplier relationships and coordinate shipping, stock and customer orders to ensure seamless service.

This role offers a proactive, hands-on environment in a growing company supplying specialist ingredients across the UK. You will lead a small team, optimise processes and maintain high service standards while

Qualifications

• Experience in Purchasing, Supply Chain or Procurement.
• Experience managing end-to-end purchasing including imports/exports.
• Strong knowledge of international shipping and supplier management.
• Experience supervising colleagues within a busy team.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach with strong customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Managing the full end-to-end purchasing process from order placement through to delivery.
• Building strong relationships with overseas suppliers, predominantly based in China.
• Coordinating imports, exports, freight forwarding and shipping documentation.
• Monitoring stock levels and ensuring products are available to meet customer demand.
• Looking after key customer accounts, providing updates and resolving any supply issues.
• Supervising and supporting the Sales and Purchasing team, ensuring workflows are completed accurately and efficiently.
• Liaising with warehouses, freight forwarders and internal departments to ensure products are delivered on time.
• Continuously improving purchasing processes and maintaining high service standards.

Skills

Purchasing

SupplyChain

Procurement

End-to-end purchasing

International shipping

Supplier management

Team supervision

Organizational skills

Customer service

Job description

Job Title: Assistant Purchasing Manager

Salary: GBP40,000

Benefits: Company bonus 10-20% (GBP8000) and 1 day WFH

Location: Derby

Hours: Monday-Friday

What you want to know about this employer

• An established and growing business supplying specialist ingredients to customers across the UK and internationally.
• A friendly, close-knit team where everyone plays an important part in the success of the business.
• A varied role offering plenty of autonomy, where you'll work closely with suppliers, customers and colleagues across the business.

Purpose of the role

You'll be responsible for purchasing products from international suppliers, predominantly in China, managing shipping, imports and exports, monitoring stock levels and ensuring key customer accounts receive an outstanding service. Alongside your operational responsibilities, you'll supervise workflows within the team, helping colleagues prioritise workloads, maintain accuracy and consistently deliver an excellent customer experience.

What you'll be doing

• Managing the full end-to-end purchasing process from order placement through to delivery.
• Building strong relationships with overseas suppliers, predominantly based in China.
• Coordinating imports, exports, freight forwarding and shipping documentation.
• Monitoring stock levels and ensuring products are available to meet customer demand.
• Looking after key customer accounts, providing updates and resolving any supply issues.
• Supervising and supporting the Sales and Purchasing team, ensuring workflows are completed accurately and efficiently.
• Liaising with warehouses, freight forwarders and internal departments to ensure products are delivered on time.
• Continuously improving purchasing processes and maintaining high service standards.

What we're looking for

• Previous experience in Purchasing, Supply Chain or Procurement.
• Experience managing the end-to-end purchasing process, including imports and exports.
• Strong knowledge of international shipping and supplier management.
• Confident supervising or mentoring colleagues within a busy team.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach with strong customer service skills.