Senior Buyer

Gleeson Recruitment Group; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment group is seeking a highly motivated Senior Buyer for their procurement team in Stoke-on-Trent. This role involves managing supplier relationships, driving cost savings, and ensuring best practices in both direct and indirect procurement. You will work closely with various teams to achieve operational excellence and strategic sourcing initiatives.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Senior Buyer or similar procurement role.
• Solid understanding of direct and indirect procurement categories.
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.

Responsibilities

• Source, negotiate, and manage contracts for raw materials and components.
• Manage procurement of services and facilities, ensuring cost-effective solutions.
• Identify and deliver savings opportunities across spend categories.

Skills

Negotiation

Analytical Skills

Contract Management

Influencing Stakeholders

Education

CIPS qualification (or working towards)

Tools

ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle)

Job description

We are looking for a highly motivated and commercially focused Senior Buyer to join our procurement team in Stoke-on-Trent. This role offers a unique opportunity to manage a diverse portfolio across both direct and indirect procurement, playing a key role in supporting operational excellence and strategic sourcing initiatives.

You will be responsible for managing supplier relationships, driving cost savings, improving supply chain performance, and ensuring procurement best practices are consistently applied.

Key Responsibilities:

Direct Procurement

• Source, negotiate, and manage contracts for raw materials, components, and production-related goods.
  
• Work closely with manufacturing, engineering, and planning teams to ensure continuity of supply.
  
• Monitor supplier performance in terms of quality, delivery, and cost.
  
• Lead cost-reduction initiatives and value engineering projects.
  

Indirect Procurement

• Manage procurement of services, CAPEX, facilities, IT, MRO, and professional services.
  
• Work with internal stakeholders to understand business needs and deliver cost-effective solutions.
  
• Run tendering processes, evaluate suppliers, and lead negotiations.
  
• Support compliance and ensure adherence to company procurement policies.
  

General Responsibilities

• Identify and deliver savings opportunities across both direct and indirect spend categories.
  
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships to improve performance and collaboration.
  
• Analyse spend data to inform strategy and support budgeting processes.
  
• Collaborate with Finance and Legal teams to manage contract terms and risk.
  

Requirements:

• Proven experience in a Senior Buyer or similar procurement role, ideally within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
  
• Solid understanding of both direct and indirect procurement categories.
  
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
  
• Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.
  
• Confident working cross-functionally and influencing internal stakeholders.
  
• Proficient in ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, or similar).
  
• CIPS qualification (or working towards) is desirable.
  

At Gleeson Recruitment Group, we embrace inclusivity and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We are proud to be a disability confident employer.

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