Buyer

Jobtrain; Shefford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Private Health Care

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Personal pension schemes with high-emr

Job summary

ACO is seeking a proactive Buyer to own an assigned supplier and product portfolio, ensuring timely and cost-effective supply of materials to meet customer demand. You will manage supplier performance, purchasing activities, inventory planning and collaborate with ACO Group teams to drive improvements across service, quality and cost.

The role requires experience in procurement and a manufacturing or product environment, with strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills to support

Qualifications

• Experience in a Procurement, Purchasing or Supply Chain role.
• Experience in a manufacturing, engineering or product-based environment.
• Experience managing procurement activities, supplier relationships and supplier performance.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems to manage purchasing and inventory.
• Understanding of inventory management, planning parameters and supply continuity.
• Strong organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify risks, evaluate options and make recommendations.
• Effective communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrates ownership, accountability and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Able to work effectively across functions and build strong internal and external relationships.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of an assigned supplier and product portfolio.
• Ensure timely and cost-effective supply of materials, components and finished goods.
• Manage supplier performance, purchasing activities, inventory management and planning parameters.
• Drive continuous improvement across categories.
• Identify opportunities, mitigate risks and deliver improvements for service, quality, cost, sustainability and working capital.
• Provide clear recommendations to support decision-making.

Skills

Procurement experience

Supplier relationship management

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline

CIPS Level 4 qualification (Desirable)

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Are you a proactive and commercially minded procurement professional looking for your next challenge?

We're looking for a Buyer to take ownership of an assigned supplier and product portfolio, ensuring the seamless supply of materials, components and finished goods to support customer demand and business success.

About the role

We are seeking a proactive and commercially focused Buyer to manage an assigned supplier and product portfolio, ensuring the timely and cost-effective supply of materials, components and finished goods to meet business and customer requirements.

You will be responsible for supplier performance, purchasing activities, inventory management and planning parameters, while driving continuous improvement across your categories. Working closely with suppliers, internal stakeholders and ACO Group procurement teams, you will identify opportunities, mitigate risks and deliver improvements that support service, quality, cost, sustainability and working capital objectives.

The successful candidate will take ownership of performance, proactively resolve issues and provide clear recommendations to support effective decision-making and business success.

About you

To be successful in this role you ideally have:

Essential

• Experience in a Procurement, Purchasing or Supply Chain role.
• Experience working within a manufacturing, engineering or product-based environment.
• Experience managing procurement activities, supplier relationships and supplier performance.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems to manage purchasing and inventory.
• Understanding of inventory management, planning parameters and supply continuity.
• Strong organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify risks, evaluate options and make recommendations.
• Effective communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrates ownership, accountability and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Able to work effectively across functions and build strong internal and external relationships.

Desirable

• CIPS Level 4 qualification or working towards qualification.
• Degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline.
• Experience of category management, sourcing or supplier development activities.
• Experience supporting new product introduction projects.
• Knowledge of sustainability and responsible sourcing practices.
• Knowledge of manufacturing planning and inventory optimisation principles.

We offer

We offer a collaborative and inclusive work environment, extensive training, opportunities for career progression and a competitive benefits package, which includes:

• Competitive salaries
• Private Health Care
• 25 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays increasing to 28 days with service
• Personal pension schemes with high employer contributions
• Employee Assistance Programmes
• plus much more

Full details of the job role are available in the role description attached.

About us

ACO is a global leader in designing and manufacturing sustainable drainage systems. ACO Technologies plc, part of the ACO Group, serves as the Company for the UK & Ireland. There are two major divisions: ACO Water Management and ACO Building Drainage

With a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation, ACO provides advanced solutions for managing surface water, ensuring efficient and safe water flow in various applications. Our expertise spans across multiple sectors, including commercial, industrial, residential, and infrastructure projects, where we continually strive to improve water management and protect natural resources.

Working at ACO is working in a culture of entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and high standards with the freedom to create your own job satisfaction through ownership and continuous improvement.

Openness and honesty are key characteristics to working at ACO as this creates a friendly, flexible environment where colleagues are keen to share information and work together to achieve the best results.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion holds significant importance to us; we have a culture of belonging. We are committed to enhancing the diversity of our workforce to ensure we can provide the best service possible for everyone. Beyond your professional background - we’re interested in your individuality and your future potential. If there are specific adjustments needed in our recruitment process that would help you to be your best, please speak to our team and they’ll be happy to help.