Junior Buyer

Aligra Personnel Ltd; Swindon; On-site; GBP 25,200 - 30,800; Full time

Job summary

Aligra Personnel Ltd in Swindon is seeking a Junior Buyer to join an expanding team to place and manage purchase orders and maintain supplier relationships, enabling the Buyer & Planner to focus on production planning and BOMs.

The role is hands-on, not a trainee position, with scope to develop into broader buying responsibilities as the planning remit grows. Monday–Friday, 37.5 hours, £28,000 per year.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable purchasing / buying experience—placing and managing purchase orders and dealing with suppliers.
• Experience with an ERP / MRP or stock-control system; Unleashed is an advantage.
• Confident supplier communicator; well organised; able to prioritise and manage own workload.

Responsibilities

• Raise and manage purchase orders in line with the purchasing plan and BOMs.
• Manage order confirmations, amendments, lead times and delivery scheduling.
• Maintain supplier prices and data; flag and resolve supply shortfalls early.
• Support negotiation and cost-reduction work with quotes and data.
• Act as day-to-day contact for suppliers on orders, deliveries and service.

Skills

Purchasing experience

ERP/MRP knowledge

Excel / data skills

Supplier communication

Education

CIPS qualification (desirable)

Tools

Unleashed ERP

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

Our client in Swindon are currently recruiting for Junior Buyer to join their expanding team.

This position will start following successful interview on a permanent basis

Position Overview

The Junior Buyer takes day-to-day responsibility for placing and managing purchase orders and routine supplier relationships, freeing the Buyer & Planner to focus on production planning, Bills of Materials and strategic price negotiation. Working to the purchasing plan and BOMs set by the Buyer & Planner, the role owns the day-to-day buying cycle and is the operational point of contact for suppliers. A smaller part of the role covers practical purchasing logistics.

This is a hands-on buying role for someone who already knows how to purchase. Because the Buyer & Planner is taking on a new and complex planning remit, this role must add buying capacity from day one; it is not a trainee position. There is scope to develop into a broader buying remit over time as the planning function beds in.

Key Responsibilities:

Purchase Order & Supply Management (core)

• Raise and manage purchase orders in Unleashed against the purchasing plan and BOMs set by the Buyer & Planner.
• Manage order confirmations, amendments, lead times and delivery scheduling to meet production needs.
• Maintain accurate supplier prices and data in Unleashed, applying agreed changes once approved by the Buyer & Planner.
• Monitor open orders and anticipate, flag and help resolve supply shortfalls and risks early.
• Support the Buyer & Planner's negotiation and cost-reduction work — obtaining quotes, comparing pricing and preparing data.

Supplier Relationship Management (core)

• Act as the day-to-day contact for suppliers on orders, deliveries, pricing and service, building effective working relationships
• Resolve faulty goods, shortages, returns, credits and service issues with suppliers.
• Set up new suppliers (procurement side) and keep supplier records accurate and current.

Operational Purchasing Support (a smaller part of the role)

• Daily follow-up on goods due, co-ordinating with the warehouse (this element can be reallocated or adjusted where appropriate).
• CHEP / IFCO pallet accounts; customer free-issue packaging stock and the monthly Bays Kitchen report; waste and water logistics.
• Purchasing mailbox and supplier memos.

Requirements:

Essential

• Demonstrable purchasing / buying experience — placing and managing purchase orders and dealing with suppliers — able to operate competently with minimal training.
• Working competence with an ERP / MRP or stock-control system (Unleashed an advantage) and good Excel / data skills.
• Confident supplier communicator; well organised; able to prioritise and manage own workload.

Desirable

• Food manufacturing experience and awareness of allergens / BRC.
• CIPS qualified or working towards.
• Aptitude and appetite to develop into a broader buying role
• Previous experience in administration
• Computer literate (comfortable using Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)
• Strong communication skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Fluent in English
• Previous experience in using JDA or BlueYonder WMS Systems

Shift Timings

• Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00
• 37.5 hours per week

Pay

• £28,000 per year

Aligra have been established since 2007 and have since implemented supply partnerships with a number of the UK's leading logistics companies. Whilst we work across all industries, we specialise in recruitment and talent management for the Automotive and Engineering, Driving and Industrial, Hospitality and Professional and Executive sectors.

INDSWI