Buyer and Materials Planner

Jackie Kerr Recruitment; Westbury; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

Private health insurance

Bonus scheme up to 10%

25 days' annual leave

Cycle to Work scheme

Ownership of role

Job summary

Jackie Kerr Recruitment is seeking a Buyer / Materials Planner for a highly technical engineering and manufacturing client. The role focuses on sourcing components, negotiating terms, and ensuring material availability to meet production schedules.

The ideal candidate will be highly organized, proactive and technically minded, with experience in ERP/MRP systems and a strong ability to balance cost, lead times and stock levels.

Qualifications

• Experience in purchasing, procurement or materials planning.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and tight schedules.
• Proactive in anticipating supply issues and communicating with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Source and purchase engineering components, precision parts and materials.
• Raise purchase orders, negotiate pricing and terms, manage supplier relationships.
• Monitor supplier performance and delivery schedules to prevent production delays.
• Review BOMs and customer orders to plan material requirements.
• Maintain inventory accuracy and reduce excess or obsolete stock.

Skills

Organised

Proactive

Self-reliant

Commercial awareness

Strong communicator

Technically minded

ERP/MRP experience

Tools

ERPNext

Job description

Our client is a specialist in a highly technical engineering and manufacturing sector. They are looking for a Buyer / Materials Planner to join them during an exciting period of growth!

Buyer / Materials Planner Key Responsibilities:

• Source and purchase engineering components, precision-machined parts, electronic assemblies and general materials.
• Obtain quotations, negotiate pricing and terms, raise purchase orders and manage supplier relationships.
• Monitor supplier performance, delivery schedules and purchasing commitments, resolving supply issues proactively.
• Review customer orders, engineering projects and Bills of Materials (BOMs) to identify and plan material requirements.
• Ensure components are available to meet production schedules, managing shortages and long-lead-time items.
• Monitor stock levels, maintain inventory accuracy and reduce excess or obsolete stock.
• Liaise with engineering to ensure suppliers receive accurate drawings, specifications and revision information.
• Support purchasing for prototypes, new product developments and repeat manufacturing.
• Maintain accurate purchasing, supplier, stock and delivery information within the ERP system.
• Identify and implement improvements to purchasing, materials planning, stock control and supplier management processes.

Buyer / Materials Planner Ideal Candidate:

• Highly organised and methodical, able to manage multiple purchasing requirements and competing priorities.
• Proactive and forward-thinking, able to anticipate supply issues before they impact production.
• Self-reliant and confident taking ownership of purchasing and materials planning activities.
• Commercially aware, with the ability to balance cost, quality, lead times and stock requirements.
• A confident communicator, comfortable dealing with suppliers and working with engineers, technicians and management.
• Technically minded, adaptable and interested in understanding engineering components, products and manufacturing processes.

Buyer / Materials Planner Required Experience & Qualifications:

• Previous experience in purchasing, procurement, materials planning or supply chain coordination.
• Experience managing suppliers, purchasing activities and competing priorities independently.
• Strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills, with confidence using spreadsheets and business management systems.
• Experience within engineering or manufacturing, purchasing precision-machined parts or electronic assemblies, and familiarity with engineering drawings, BOMs and component revision control would be advantageous.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems, particularly ERPNext, and exposure to low-volume manufacturing or new product development would also be beneficial.

Buyer / Materials Planner Benefits:

• Company pension scheme.
• Private BUPA health insurance.
• Company and personal bonus scheme of up to 10%.
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Opportunity to take ownership of a varied and important role within a specialist engineering business.