Senior Buyer

Mulberry Recruitment; England; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking a proactive Senior Buyer to manage procurement and improve supplier performance in Basingstoke. You will be responsible for supplier management from onboarding to performance monitoring, focusing on cost efficiency and quality. The ideal candidate should have strong negotiation skills and significant experience in procurement within a technical environment. A competitive salary between £35,000 and £45,000 is offered.

Qualifications

• Proven experience within a procurement or supply chain role.
• Strong understanding of procurement best practices.
• Ability to analyze data and make informed decisions.

Responsibilities

• Manage procurement across a diverse range of products.
• Build and maintain relationships with key suppliers.
• Lead negotiations with suppliers to achieve commercial outcomes.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Supplier management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Tools

Microsoft Excel

ERP systems (SAP)

Job description

Overview

Senior Buyer

Salary: £35,000-£45,000

Location: Office-based in Basingstoke with regular supplier site visits

About the Role

We re looking for a proactive and commercially driven Senior Buyer to take a leading role in managing procurement across a diverse and technically interesting product range.

This position is central to ensuring a reliable supply of goods and services while driving improvements in supplier performance, cost efficiency, and quality. You ll take ownership of supplier management from onboarding and contract negotiation through to performance monitoring and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key suppliers to support business objectives.
• Lead negotiations to achieve the best commercial outcomes and drive improvements in cost, quality, and delivery.
• Conduct regular supplier reviews and audits to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Identify and mitigate supplier risks, ensuring supply chain resilience and continuity.
• Source, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers to strengthen and diversify the supply base.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to manage supply issues and ensure timely resolution.
• Implement and monitor procurement strategies that align with business priorities.
• Analyse market trends and supplier performance to inform purchasing decisions.
• Contribute to process improvements within the procurement and supply chain functions.
• Support wider business projects and change initiatives as required.

Key Skills & Experience

• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Proven experience within a procurement or supply chain role, ideally in a manufacturing or technical environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Good understanding of procurement best practice and commercial principles.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel); experience with ERP systems such as SAP is an advantage.
• Ability to analyse data and make informed, commercially sound decisions.

Behavioural Qualities

• Self-motivated and proactive, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Honest, open, and professional in all interactions.
• Resilient, pragmatic, and confident under pressure.
• Collaborative and solutions-focused, with strong influencing skills.
• Demonstrates initiative and accountability in managing workload and priorities.