Senior Buyer

Carrington West; Preston; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Tier One contractor in the UK is seeking a Senior Buyer to take charge of materials procurement for major civil engineering projects. You will lead the procurement strategy, manage supplier relationships, and ensure compliance with procurement processes. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience in procurement within the construction industry and possess strong negotiation skills. This position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to work on high-profile projects.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years' experience in procurement, ideally in construction or civil engineering.
• Strong understanding of materials procurement processes.
• Knowledge of commercial principles and contracts.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement of materials for major civils and water projects.
• Develop and manage materials procurement strategies.
• Negotiate pricing and terms with suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with procurement processes.

Skills

Materials procurement

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Understanding of contracts

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

ERP systems

Job description

Senior Buyer

Location: North West region
Salary: Up to £60,000 per annum + benefits

Join a leading Tier One contractor delivering major infrastructure projects for United Utilities. This role is centred on materials procurement, taking ownership of purchasing key materials, plant, and equipment required for major civil engineering works. While you’ll support subcontract procurement where needed, the core responsibility is managing the materials supply chain to ensure value, compliance, and timely delivery.

Why this role stands out

This is a pivotal opportunity for an experienced Materials Buyer to shape procurement activity on high-profile water infrastructure projects. You’ll have direct influence over materials strategy, supplier relationships, delivery performance, and cost control, all within a highly collaborative project environment.

What you'll be doing

• Leading the procurement of materials, plant, and equipment for major civils and water projects.
• Developing bid lists and completing due diligence on material suppliers.
• Working with the project team to build and manage materials procurement strategies and schedules.
• Driving materials procurement activity to meet project programme dates.
• Issuing materials enquiries, coordinating specifications, and consolidating information.
• Reviewing materials quotations for compliance, best value, technical suitability, risk, sustainability, and commercial clarity.
• Negotiating pricing, terms, lead times, and supply conditions with material suppliers.
• Running pre-let and pre-order meetings to ensure clarity of scope and requirements.
• Ensuring all procurement governance, document management, and internal processes are followed.
• Chairing procurement reviews focused on materials packages, delivery status, costs, and actions.
• Supporting project teams to ensure supplier performance meets programme and quality requirements.
• Onboarding new material suppliers and completing all due diligence checks.
• Managing preferred supplier arrangements, frameworks, and category agreements specific to materials.
• Gathering market intelligence on material pricing, availability, risks, and supply chain capacity.
• Completing procurement audits for high-value or complex materials packages.
• Maintaining accurate procurement documentation and storage.
• Representing the business at supplier meetings, workshops, and client-facing sessions.
• You may provide support to subcontract procurement where needed, but the core focus is materials buying.

What you'll bring

Experience

• Minimum 3 years' experience in procurement, ideally with significant materials buying responsibility in construction or civil engineering.
• Working towards or holding a CIPS qualification.

Skills & Competencies

Technical

• Strong understanding of materials procurement in construction/civils.
• Knowledge of trades, materials, specifications, and supply chain capabilities.
• Good understanding of contracts and commercial principles.
• Strong analytical, commercial, and IT skills (Microsoft Office, ERP, supplier databases).

Ready to apply?

Please contact Chas on 02393 876 074 or email [e-mail] to discuss in confidence.

Please note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If no response is received, the application has not been successful at this stage.