Buyer

Holt Engineering; Poole; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Holt Engineering in Poole is seeking an experienced Buyer to coordinate purchasing and material planning activities to support production schedules. You will work with internal teams and suppliers to ensure stock availability and efficient procurement processes.

The role requires 3+ years as a Buyer, experience with ERP/MRP systems, and strong Excel skills. The position is based in Poole with standard hours Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm and an early finish on Fridays.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience as a Buyer.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems to support procurement and business operations.
• Experience in developing and implementing efficient systems and procedures.
• Experience in procurement within a manufacturing environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, including creating, reviewing and checking formulas.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate material purchasing schedules in line with demand forecasts to ensure availability meets production needs.
• Raise and manage purchase orders across designated commodity categories with timely processing.

Skills

Supply chain coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

Job description

Buyer

Locations: Poole

Salary: £30 - £35k per annum

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm (early finish Fridays)

Our client is seeking an experienced Buyer to join their established team. The role will involve coordinating purchasing and material planning activities, working closely with internal departments and suppliers to maintain stock availability and ensure production schedules are supported efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate material purchasing schedules in line with demand forecasts, ensuring availability meets production and operational requirements.
• Raise and manage purchase orders across designated commodity categories, ensuring orders are processed accurately and within required timescales.
• Communicate material specifications, technical requirements and quality standards to suppliers to ensure compliance with business expectations.
• Work alongside Quality and Technical teams to investigate supplier quality issues, agree corrective actions and negotiate costs associated with non-conforming goods where appropriate.
• Monitor outstanding orders, chase delayed deliveries and flag potential supply risks to minimise disruption to production and customer commitments.
• Organise and track material samples, ensuring these are managed effectively throughout the approval and evaluation process.
• Maintain accurate procurement records, supplier information and order data within the company's ERP/MRP systems.
• Build strong working relationships with internal departments to identify and resolve material shortages and purchasing issues promptly.
• Investigate supplier pricing discrepancies, coordinating corrective action and obtaining credit notes where necessary.
• Keep demand planning systems updated to ensure material forecasts and purchasing requirements remain accurate and reliable.
• Provide timely procurement support to internal stakeholders, responding to requests and helping maintain effective supply operations.
• Coordinate inventory arrangements with key suppliers, including buffer stock, Kanban, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and consignment stock.
• Review raw material requirements, supplier pricing and market trends to support purchasing decisions and implement appropriate price-risk management strategies.
• Track performance against agreed procurement KPIs, ensuring purchasing activities contribute to departmental targets and wider business objectives.

Experience

• 3+ years' experience as a Buyer
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems to support procurement and business operations
• Experienced in developing and implementing efficient systems and procedures
• Used to working within procurement departments in a manufacturing environment
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, including creating, reviewing and checking formulas