Buying Assistant

EVO Group; West Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the business supplies sector is seeking a Buying Assistant to support the Purchasing Manager. This role involves managing supplier relationships, sourcing products, and ensuring compliance with procurement objectives. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication and time management skills, along with a full UK driving license. The position offers flexible working and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Flexible working

Pension contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

State-of-the-art IT equipment

Volunteer days

Qualifications

• Experience in developing supplier relationships.
• Understanding of full sourcing costs.

Responsibilities

• Support the Purchasing Manager in managing key suppliers.
• Source products to customer specifications.
• Manage product cost price changes.

Skills

Time Management

Communication

Numeracy

Education

Full UK Driving License

Job description

Buying Assistant

Division: Group Buying

Reports To: Purchasing Manager

Based: Normanton

Hours of Work: Full time in a permanent position

Role Specification

The role is based in Normanton. The Buying Assistant will be required to travel to other Group locations to work alongside colleagues and for external meetings as appropriate.

Role Objective

The Buying Assistant will work alongside the Purchasing Manager to support key buying and negotiating activities that are required to support existing and new contract and non-contract business. The role will support and at times deliver relevant pricing fluctuation reporting. The role will assist the purchasing department to meet sustainable procurement objectives and ensure full compliance on all products sold.

Responsibilities

1. Support the Purchasing Manager in managing key category-related suppliers/brands.
2. Assist the Purchasing team with key product pricing information.
3. Manage relevant reporting aspects for the purchasing team.
4. Work on key projects, monitor, and review competitor activity (e.g., Green/CSR offers).
5. Sourcing and negotiating competitive pricing for customer-specific products from vendors.
6. Source products to customer specifications at the right price to support tender opportunities.
7. Present findings from Product Pricing requests clearly to facilitate financial assessments.
8. Assist in managing suppliers, including assessments, analysis, and performance reviews.
9. Manage customer bespoke product setup data.
10. Investigate and resolve vendor and product specification queries.
11. Build strong relationships with key supplier personnel.
12. Prioritize activities that influence profitability.
13. Manage product cost price changes and notify relevant teams.
14. Update foreign pricing with new exchange and freight rates.
15. Provide sales and purchasing reports for Q-Connect products.

Person Specification

• Understanding of legal implications through legislative and regulatory knowledge.
• Strong time management skills to meet deadlines and manage workload.
• Developed communication skills and professionalism for working with senior supplier contacts.
• Ability to manage critical business data confidentially.

Other Qualifications or Experience

• Experience in developing supplier relationships.
• Understanding of full sourcing costs (product, freight, duty, stock holding, handling, returns).
• Strong numeracy skills for data manipulation and presentation.
• Ability to manage multiple projects successfully.
• Full UK Driving License.

Desirable Qualifications or Experience

• Experience sourcing products and for tenders.
• Knowledge of importing products.
• Knowledge of the business supplies and services industry.

The Company

evo - a powerhouse of brands.

evo Group of Companies is the UK and Ireland's largest multi-channel business supplies and services distributor. We operate a centralized distribution network with multiple centres across the UK and Ireland, supported by extensive logistics including hundreds of own delivery vehicles, ensuring efficient delivery nationwide.

We value our people and employ over 2,000 across our leading brands: VOW Wholesale, VOW Ireland, Banner, Complete, Premvan, Truline, and Staples.

The Benefits

• Flexible working
• Pension contributions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• State-of-the-art IT equipment
• Volunteer days