Junior Buyer

Gastronomy Plus Ltd; Lancaster; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Gastronomy Plus Ltd in Claughton, Lancaster, seeks a highly organised commercial and procurement professional to join our fast-growing team. The role blends purchasing, supplier management, stock control, product information and project management to keep operations moving smoothly.

You will raise and manage purchase orders, monitor supplier acknowledgements, chase updates, maintain open-order data and coordinate with Commercial, Operations and Warehouse.

Qualifications

• Experience in purchasing or procurement within a SME or manufacturing environment.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to coordinate across multiple departments.

Responsibilities

• Raise and manage purchase orders.
• Obtain and monitor supplier order acknowledgements.
• Chase suppliers for production updates, completion dates and dispatch information.
• Maintain accurate open-order information.
• Track expected delivery dates and communicate changes internally.
• Coordinate samples, supplier documentation and other outstanding actions.
• Act as a day-to-day contact for suppliers.
• Support supplier relationship management.
• Coordinate information between suppliers, Commercial, Operations and the warehouse.
• Own and maintain accurate product master data.
• Maintain product descriptions, specifications, dimensions, weights, barcodes and case quantities.
• Manage information relating to finished products, accessories and spare parts.
• Ensure product imagery and supporting digital assets are correctly stored and available.
• Support product setup and range changes.
• Act as a central point of ownership for product information accuracy.

Skills

Purchasing

Procurement

Stock control

Supplier management

Excel

Data entry

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Excel

Job description

Role Overview

We are looking for a highly organised, commercially aware and proactive individual to become a central part of our commercial and operational team.

This is a broad role combining purchasing, supplier management, stock and order coordination, product information, key account support and project management.

The role will act as the operational and commercial engine beneath the Head of Commercial & Procurement, ensuring that decisions are translated into action and that suppliers, orders, product information and projects are actively managed through to completion.

This is not simply a purchasing administration role. We are looking for someone who takes ownership, enjoys coordinating multiple moving parts and is comfortable working across different departments to keep the business moving.

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing & Open Order Management

• Raise and manage purchase orders.
• Obtain and monitor supplier order acknowledgements.
• Chase suppliers for production updates, completion dates and dispatch information.
• Maintain accurate open-order information.
• Track expected delivery dates and communicate changes internally.
• Identify and escalates late orders, shortages and supply risks.
• Coordinate samples, supplier documentation and other outstanding actions.
• Ensure purchasing actions are actively followed through to completion.

Supplier & Supply Chain Coordination

• Act as a day-to-day contact for suppliers.
• Support supplier relationship management.
• Coordinate information between suppliers, Commercial, Operations and the warehouse.
• Help maintain visibility of stock availability and inbound supply.
• Highlight potential supply issues before they become operational problems.
• Support cost comparisons, quotations and routine supplier negotiations where required.

Product & Master Data

• Own and maintain accurate product master data.
• Maintain product descriptions, specifications, dimensions, weights, barcodes and case quantities.
• Manage information relating to finished products, accessories and spare parts.
• Ensure product imagery and supporting digital assets are correctly stored and available.
• Support product setup and range changes.
• Act as a central point of ownership for product information accuracy.

Key Account & Sales Support

• Complete customer copy sheets and new-line forms.
• Provide product information, specifications and imagery.
• Support new product and range launches with key customers.
• Coordinate customer-specific setup requirements.
• Assist Sales and Customer Service with product and availability information.
• Help ensure customer requirements are completed accurately and on time.

Project Management & New Product Development

Take ownership of agreed commercial and new product projects, ensuring actions and milestones remain on track.

Responsibilities will include:

• Maintaining project plans and timelines.
• Tracking actions, responsibilities and deadlines.
• Coordinating supplier samples and prototypes.
• Liaising with Commercial on product and cost requirements.
• Liaising with Technical on compliance, testing and approvals.
• Working with Design on packaging, artwork, manuals and associated materials.
• Coordinating imagery and launch assets.
• Ensuring product setup and supporting information are completed before launch.
• Identifying and escalating delays and risks.
• Driving outstanding actions through to completion.

Cross-Functional Coordination

The role will work closely with:

• Head of Commercial & Procurement
• Operations Manager
• Sales and Key Accounts
• Customer Service
• Technical
• Design / Marketing
• Warehouse and Logistics
• Finance
• External suppliers

A key part of the role will be ensuring information and actions move effectively between these teams.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means:

• Purchase orders are accurate and raised promptly.
• Open supplier orders are actively managed.
• Supplier delivery information is current and reliable.
• Supply risks are identified early.
• Product and spare-parts information is complete and accurate.
• Key account product requirements are delivered on time.
• Projects have clear ownership, actions and milestones.
• NPD projects move forward without routine actions becoming stuck.
• Different departments have better visibility of orders, products and project status.
• Senior commercial time is focused on commercial decisions rather than administration and chasing.

What We Are Looking For

The successful candidate will be:

• Highly organised and detail focused.
• Commercially aware.
• Proactive and persistent.
• Comfortable taking ownership.
• Confident dealing with suppliers.
• Strong at managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Comfortable chasing actions and deadlines.
• Good with spreadsheets and systems.
• A strong communicator across different departments.
• Able to identify problems early and escalates appropriately.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving SME environment.

Experience

Previous experience in one or more of the following would be highly beneficial:

• Purchasing or procurement
• Production planning
• Supply chain coordination
• Stock control or inventory management
• Supplier management
• Operations coordination
• Customer order fulfilment
• Product administration
• Commercial administration
• New product development
• Project coordination

Experience with ERP systems such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV and strong Excel capability would also be advantageous.

Experience within manufacturing, catering equipment, consumer goods or another physical-product environment would be beneficial but is not essential.

Development Opportunity

This is a broad role offering exposure across purchasing, supply chain, operations, commercial management and new product development.

For the right person, there is clear potential to develop into a Buyer, Purchasing Manager, Commercial Operations Manager or broader commercial role as the business grows.

Location:

Claughton, Lancaster

Salary:

£30,000–£35,000 depending on experience

Employment:

Full-time, office based

Reports to:

Head of Commercial & Procurement

About Gastronomy Plus

Gastronomy Plus Ltd is a fast-growing, entrepreneurial business operating across the catering and outdoor cooking equipment market.

We own and develop a portfolio of distinctive brands, supplying customers across retail, hospitality and specialist channels, as well as directly through our own websites.

We are ambitious, fast moving and product led, with a strong focus on commercial growth, operational execution, new product development and building long-term partnerships with customers and suppliers.