Senior Buyer

Optima UK Inc Ltd; Sutton-in-Ashfield; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Optima UK Inc Ltd is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to lead procurement activities, oversee supplier relationships and manage material planning in a manufacturing setting. You will influence purchasing strategies, monitor supplier performance and ensure materials meet production and customer demands.

Reporting to the Group General Manager, you will guide a Material Planner and collaborate with production, sales and finance to optimise inventory and costs.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in procurement, purchasing or material control.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/DRP processes and inventory management.
• Proven supplier management and negotiation experience.
• Experience managing purchasing from sourcing through delivery.
• Excellent Excel skills; familiarity with Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Manage sourcing, procurement, and delivery of raw materials, machined components, finished goods, and subcontracted services.
• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate with suppliers to achieve competitive pricing, quality and delivery.
• Monitor stock levels, optimise inventory and minimise material shortages.
• Manage supplier performance, including delivery reliability, quality and cost improvements.
• Utilise ERP/MRP systems for purchasing, planning and record keeping.
• Support data-driven purchasing decisions and cost control.

Skills

Procurement

Supplier management

Inventory planning

Data analysis

Excel

Power BI

Communication

Tools

SAP

Job description

Senior Buyer

Location: Sutton-in-Ashfield
Salary: 40,000 per Annum
Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm or 9:00am - 5:00pm

Senior Procurement Role Supplier Management Inventory Optimisation

Are you an experienced Senior Buyer with a strong background in procurement, supplier management and material planning?

We are recruiting for a Senior Buyer to take responsibility for sourcing, purchasing and managing raw materials, machined components and finished goods within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

This is a key position within the operations team, offering the opportunity to influence purchasing strategies, improve supplier performance and ensure materials are available to meet production and customer demands.

The Role

Reporting to the Group General Manager, you will oversee procurement activities, manage supplier relationships and maintain cost-effective inventory levels.

You will also have responsibility for supporting and developing a Material Planner, ensuring purchasing activities align with operational requirements and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the sourcing, procurement and delivery of raw materials, machined components, finished goods and subcontracted services.
• Identify, evaluate and negotiate with suppliers to achieve competitive pricing, quality and delivery performance.
• Monitor stock levels, optimise inventory and minimise material shortages.
• Manage supplier performance, including delivery reliability, quality and cost improvements.
• Utilise ERP/MRP systems for purchasing, planning and accurate record keeping.
• Champion the use and integration of the DOMO platform across the business.
• Support purchasing decisions through data analysis, reporting and cost control.
• Manage supplier contracts, purchasing issues and rejected materials.
• Work closely with production, sales and finance teams to support operational requirements.
• Support quoting activities and source new components for customer requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across procurement and supply chain processes.
• Provide guidance and support to the Material Planner.

What We're Looking For

• Extensive experience in procurement, purchasing or material control, ideally within manufacturing or engineering.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/DRP processes and inventory management.
• Proven supplier management and negotiation experience.
• Ability to manage purchasing activities from initial sourcing through to delivery.
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, with knowledge of Power BI.
• Strong communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• High attention to detail and a commercially focused approach.
• Knowledge of SAP would be advantageous but is not essential.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a key procurement function, working closely with senior management and contributing directly to business performance.

You'll have the opportunity to influence supplier relationships, improve purchasing processes and support the development of the wider operations team.

If you're an experienced Senior Buyer looking for a role where you can make a genuine impact, we'd love to hear from you.