Purchasing Manager/Senior Buyer

Vickerstock; Northern Ireland; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing MEP business in the UK is seeking a Purchasing Manager/Senior Buyer to lead procurement operations. The role involves overseeing supplier relationships, managing budgets, and ensuring procurement aligns with project goals. Ideal candidates will have at least 4 years in procurement management, strong negotiation skills, and be able to navigate complex supply chain challenges. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a company during a period of significant growth.

Qualifications

• 4 years of experience in procurement management or senior purchasing.
• Strong understanding of procurement and supply chain principles.
• Experience in budgeting and cost analysis.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of the procurement function.
• Manage supplier relationships and negotiations.
• Conduct market analysis to identify savings opportunities.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Supplier relationship management

Commercial awareness

Budget management

Cost analysis

Education

CIPS or related degree

Job description

Vickerstock are delighted to be partnering with a growing MEP business in the appointment of a Purchasing Manager/Senior Buyer. This is a key leadership role where you'll take ownership of the purchasing function - driving strategy, developing supplier partnerships, and ensuring that procurement operations align with major projects worldwide.

This is an excellent chance for a career driven procurement professional to join a business on their journey into their next period of huge growth.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Oversee daily operations within the procurement function, ensuring workloads are managed effectively and processes run smoothly.
• Partner closely with the wider supply chain and operations teams to ensure the right materials are available at the right time - avoiding shortages or excess stock.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term supplier relationships that add value and resilience to the business.
• Identify and on-board new strategic suppliers to strengthen the overall project supply chain.
• Lead negotiations on contracts, pricing and service-level agreements, ensuring best value and adherence to project specifications.
• Monitor supplier performance and compliance to drive continuous improvement.
• Forecast demand and ensure purchasing plans are fully aligned with production and operational requirements.
• Conduct market and cost analysis to identify savings opportunities and mitigate potential supply risks.
• Work collaboratively with teams across Finance, Operations, Production, Quality and Warehousing to ensure procurement supports overall business priorities.
• Manage project budgets and track all purchasing activity against financial targets.
• Deliver accurate and timely reports on procurement spend, savings, and variances.
• Collaborate with the Commercial team to ensure material costs align with financial and project objectives.
• Proactively identify and manage supplier, quality and market risks.
• Oversee the supplier approval and evaluation process to uphold quality and reliability standards across the supply chain.

What You'll Bring

• 4 year's experience in a procurement management role or senior purchasing position, ideally within the M&E, Construction or Data Centre space.
• CIPS or related degree is advantageous
• Strong commercial awareness with a deep understanding of end-to-end procurement and supply chain principles.
• Excellent negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship management skills.
• Experience in budgeting, cost analysis and TCO modelling.

How to Apply

To discuss this opportunity in confidence, contact Michael Irwin, our supply chain & procurement specialist at Vickerstock. Apply today!