Senior Buyer

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions; Havant; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible working arrangements

Generous holiday allowance

Three days’ paid volunteering leave

Inclusion Plan benefits

Job summary

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions, part of Spirax Group, seeks a Senior Buyer at BioPure, UK. You will lead site procurement, drive supplier performance, manage lifecycle from requisitions to delivery, and collaborate with Finance, Planning and Production to ensure continuity and value.

A strong 5+ year procurement background and Dynamics 365 experience are expected. The role is on-site at BioPure, UK, within a fast-paced manufacturing environment, offering growth opportunities and a

Qualifications

• Procurement experience: 5+ years in procurement; life sciences/biopharma sector is advantageous.
• Systems knowledge: familiar with MRP/ERP purchasing systems; Dynamics 365 desirable.
• Strong organisational, communication and negotiation skills.
• Data proficiency: confident with Microsoft Excel for analysis and reporting.
• Influencing skills with proactive stakeholder engagement.
• Adaptability to a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Time management and ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Act as the operational procurement lead for the site, delivering best value across cost, quality, delivery and sustainability.
• Source and procure goods/services, prepare specifications, run bidding processes, negotiate within contracts.
• Oversee full procurement lifecycle from requisitions to supplier performance and governance.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities and lead site procurement projects.
• Collaborate with Finance for timely payment and with Planning/Production for material availability.
• Ensure ERP parameters (lead times, safety stocks, MOQs, shelf life) are accurate.

Skills

Procurement

Negotiation

Excel

Stakeholder engagement

Adaptability

Time management

Collaboration

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

Job Title: Senior Buyer

Location: BioPure - UK

Location Type: On-Site

Website: https://www.wmfts.com/en/

Group: https://www.spiraxgroup.com/

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions is part of Spirax Group, a FTSE100 and FTSE4Good multi-national industrial engineering Group with expertise in the control and management of steam, electric thermal solutions, peristaltic pumping and associated fluid technologies.

When you join us, you will be integrated into a cooperative and encouraging team, participate in challenging yet critical work, and experience ongoing growth opportunities to help you achieve your full potential. Visit our website to learn more.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a talented and motivated Senior Buyer to join our dynamic team.

Key Responsibilities:

• As Senior Buyer at BioPure, you will act as the operational procurement lead for the site, accountable for procurement execution, supplier performance, material availability and deployment of procurement processes. You will deliver best value across cost, quality, delivery and sustainability while supporting operational priorities and divisional procurement objectives.

You will source and procure goods and services in line with divisional procurement and category strategies, preparing specifications, managing competitive bidding processes and negotiating within agreed contracts and governance. You will oversee the full site procurement lifecycle, from purchase requisitions and purchase orders through to supplier performance, continuity of supply and compliance with internal policies and budgetary controls.

In this senior role, you will proactively identify continuous improvement opportunities, lead site procurement projects, and support and develop others while working closely with Global Strategic Procurement and Category Management teams.

What you’ll be doing

• Oversee the Purchase Requisition process within the ERP, ensuring smooth workflow and timely approval of requests that convert into purchase orders.
• Manage supplier onboarding and ensure compliance with preferred suppliers, contracts, Group controls and procurement governance.
• Execute sourcing activities in line with divisional procurement and category strategies to support delivery performance and internal and external customer needs.
• Conduct regular price negotiations to ensure competitiveness against previous spend, existing contracts, and market benchmarks.
• Ensure ERP has accurate parameters to drive accurate net requirements and optimal service to customers. These will be regularly updated including lead-times, safety stocks, MOQ’s, shelf life, etc
• Develop, update and train clear Standard Operating Procedures. Support and develop others in the team. Manage critical supplier performance, including delivery performance, recovery plans and the development of reliable supplier relationships.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure timely payment of purchased items.
• Collaborate with Planning, Production and Warehouse teams to support daily manufacturing priorities, production schedules and material availability.
• Work closely with the inbound Warehouse team to resolve delivery and receipt issues.
• Provide procurement updates in relevant forums, including daily stand-up meetings, and manage timely escalation of delivery, pricing or performance issues with key suppliers.
• Ensure purchased materials meet minimum requirements and align inventory levels with usage rates to prevent overstocking.
• Lead shortage management and propose alternative sourcing solutions to protect continuity of supply and mitigate operational risk.
• Expedite deliveries and coordinate supplier recovery actions when required to meet business priorities.
• Conduct inventory analysis and take action to improve inventory health.
• Drive continuous improvement in site procurement processes, tools and systems to improve efficiency and value. Lead projects and contribute actively to cross-functional improvement opportunities.
• Work with Global Procurement leadership to implement and support procurement strategy at site level.
• Support the deployment of category strategies at site level, monitoring supplier count, pricing, delivery, quality and responsiveness.
• Identify, manage and escalation supply chain risks, ensuring supply continuity and alignment with supplier agreements, business performance and cost objectives.
• Collect and maintain supplier compliance documentation for quality and audit purposes.
• Ensure adherence to site Quality Management Systems (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 13485) and departmental health and safety standards.

Skills/Experience:

• Procurement Experience: Proven 5+ years’ experience in Procurement. Experience in biopharma/life sciences sector is advantageous but not essential.
• Systems Knowledge: Familiarity with MRP/ERP purchasing systems is required; experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 is desirable.
• Strong organisational, communication and negotiation skills
• Data Proficiency: Confident using Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reporting and decision-making.
• Influencing Skills: Strong interpersonal and influencing abilities, with a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement and supplier negotiation.
• Adaptability: Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure.
• Time Management: Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines effectively.
• Collaboration: A team player who can build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and suppliers.
• CIPS qualified (or working towards)

At Watson-Marlow, we believe in taking care of our colleagues. We offer a generous benefits package, including:

• A competitive salary
• Flexible working arrangements
• A generous holiday allowance
• Three days’ paid volunteering leave
• Additional support and benefits through our Everyone is Included Group Inclusion Plan

Everyone is Included at Spirax Group

We are passionate about creating inclusive and equitable working cultures where everyone can be themselves and achieve their full potential. For us, that means supportive teams and strong relationships where everyone’s contribution is valued - across social and cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, genders, gender identities, abilities, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and everything else that makes us human and unique.

We want everyone to be able to make their difference here, so we will always consider requests for flexible working.

We know that everyone needs some extra help from time to time too, so we have introduced a range of additional benefits through our Group Inclusion Commitments. These include

• Gender-neutral parental leave
• 15 days of extra paid caregiver leave
• Paid time off and support for anyone experiencing pregnancy loss or domestic abuse
• Menopause-friendly workplace principles and more

Learn more at spiraxgroup.com/inclusion .

We are also a Disability Confident Committed Employer. If you would like to apply using this scheme, please select this option in our application form.

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

If you require accommodations during the application process, please let us know.

Company Overview

At Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions, part of Spirax Group, we are driven by innovation and are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is empowered to make a difference. As a world leader in manufacturing peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies for the life sciences and process industries, we offer a wide range of products, including tubing, specialised filling systems and products for single-use applications.

Our shared Purpose is to create sustainable value for all our stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world. Our technologies play an essential role in critical industrial processes and industrial equipment across industries as diverse as Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, Power Generation, Semiconductors and Healthcare. With customers in 116 countries, we provide the solutions that sit behind the production of many items used in daily life, from baked beans to mobile phones!

Our inclusive culture and Values, unites us, guides our decisions and inspires us everywhere that we operate. We support our colleagues to make their difference for each other as well as customers, communities, suppliers, our planet and shareholders by creating a truly equitable working environment where everyone feels included.