Lead Buyer

Premier Placement Services; Leicester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Premier Placement Services in Leicester seeks a Lead Buyer to drive strategic and operational procurement for a global manufacturing business. You will manage supplier negotiations, KPI data insights, and spend analysis while guiding purchasing initiatives and supplier onboarding with internal teams.

The role requires a focused purchasing mindset, strong communication at all levels, and a track record of delivering value through procurement leadership.

Qualifications

• Experience in strategic and operational procurement.
• Ability to negotiate and manage supplier performance.
• Strong stakeholder management and data analysis.
• Experience with RFQ processes and KPI dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier negotiations and manage escalations.
• Oversee PO placement from request to acknowledgement.
• Optimize inventory through delivery schedule negotiations.
• Collaborate with internal teams on onboarding and quality.
• Provide cost analysis for strategic buying decisions.
• Maintain Supplier Matrix and KPI dashboards.
• Analyze spend patterns to guide supplier focus.
• Manage supplier issues including expediting and freight.

Skills

Supplier relationship management

Data‑driven decision making

Cross‑functional collaboration

Negotiation

Prioritisation & workload management

Tools

ERP/MRP software

Job description

Due to sustained growth, I am currently recruiting for a new role as Lead Buyer for a prestigious and well-established manufacturing business in Leicester.

The main purpose of the role is to deliver operational and strategic value by managing supplier escalations, leading KPI's and spend insight and ensuring purchasing processes and initiatives are completed effectively.

Duties for the Lead Buyer will include:

• Support complex purchases, working with key suppliers and monitoring their performance.
• Support Purchase Order Placement from PO request through to supplier acknowledgement.
• Negotiate delivery schedules that directly improve Inventory levels.
• Work with internal teams on supplier onboarding, quality concerns and deviation management.
• Collate RFQ data, compare options and provide tactical cost analysis for strategic buying decisions.
• Own and update the Supplier Matrix to support RFQ activity and supplier selection.
• Manage supplier escalations, including expediting and freight issues and close them out effectively.
• Manage supplier KPI dashboard updates, analyse KPI performance and provide clear data insights to support supplier development
• Review supplier spend patterns and share analysis to guide sustainable supplier focus and future purchasing direction.

Requirements

• Supplier relationship management
• ERP/MRP proficiency
• Data‑driven decision making
• Cross‑functional collaboration
• Effective negotiation experience
• Prioritisation & workload management

Most importantly, the successful candidate will have a very focused purchasing mindset, be able to demonstrate real strategic exposure towards procurement and be able to take full responsibility for all purchasing activities.

You will be commercially aware with strong communication skills and the ability to liaise effectively at all levels.

This role represents an excellent opportunity to join a global business, supporting high profile industries and organisations with state‑of‑the‑art products.

If you are looking to fully utilise and further develop your purchasing and supply chain expertise and join a company where you can really make an impact, please get in touch.