Senior Purchaser

Magnetic Shields Ltd; Staplehurst; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing company in Staplehurst is seeking an experienced Senior Purchaser to lead procurement and manage over £1 million in annual expenditure. You will negotiate with suppliers, optimize inventory, and collaborate with various departments to ensure materials are available for production. With 5+ years of experience required, this role offers a chance to shape the purchasing function within a growing team.

Benefits

Enhanced pension contributions

Quarterly staff bonus scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Company sick pay scheme

Free on-site parking

Employee referral scheme

Training and development

Competitive holidays

Death in service cover

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in a similar role.
• Effective negotiation experience for dealing with suppliers.
• Willingness to learn and proactive in approach.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement of materials, ensuring compliance with requirements.
• Optimize inventory levels to balance supply with demand.
• Monitor supplier performance and resolve delivery issues.

Skills

Negotiation skills

IT proficiency

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Formal purchasing qualification

Tools

MRP systems

Excel

Word

Job description

Location: Staplehurst, Kent

Salary: Competitive Salary, DOE

Hours: 40 Hours, Monday - Friday

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Generous Benefits Package:

• Competitive pay rates
• Enhanced pension contributions
• Quarterly staff bonus scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Company sick pay scheme
• Free on-site parking
• Employee referral scheme
• Training and development
• Competitive holidays
• 2 x death in service cover

About Us:

A family run company, Magnetic Shields Limited (MSL) is the industry leader in the design and manufacture of magnetically shielded products and rooms. Our brand new factory unit and Fibre laser with full stock automation more than doubles our production capacity and throughput. This period of expansion is a very exciting time for the company and we are looking to speak to applicants interested in joining us in our procurement team as a SENIOR PURCHASER.

About the Role:

Purchasing at MSL involves sourcing, negotiating, and buying goods and materials to meet operational requirements. This is a demanding but rewarding role within a growing function. The successful candidate will manage over £1 million in annual expenditure and lead the purchasing team, with the opportunity to shape the future direction of both the role and the department.

The department handles all purchasing requests, from materials for production to general supplies, and works closely with the Stores team to ensure materials and components are available for works orders. Building and maintaining strong supplier relationships will be central to the success of this role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead procurement of materials, fixings, and sundry items, ensuring compliance with technical and company requirements.
• Optimise inventory levels to balance supply with demand while minimising waste and obsolescence.
• Collaborate with sales and production planning to align material availability with forecasts.
• Develop and manage suppliers to deliver quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in line with ISO 9001 standards.
• Monitor supplier performance, resolve delivery issues, and report on KPIs such as cost, quality, and on time delivery.
• Liaise across departments to ensure timely material supply for key projects.
• Lead and support the purchasing team, delegating effectively and scaling the team as business needs grow.
• Track market trends, supplier developments, and material costs to advise management on risks and opportunities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement within the purchasing function.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in a similar role
• Experience of running MRP systems (including order processing & receipt)
• Effective negotiating experience for dealing with suppliers
• IT proficient (experience of Excel/Word, etc.)
• Strong organisational skills (multi-tasker)
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Good communication skills
• Willingness to learn and proactive in approach

Desirable Skills:

• Line management experience
• Formal purchasing qualification, ideally CIPS trained
• Experience in manufacturing environment
• Knowledge of engineering/fabrication
• Knowledge of sourcing specialist sheet metal
• Able to understand engineering drawings

We acknowledge that the most valuable aspect of business, is the people, and we are looking to recruit the next generation of our workforce! If you have the passion to make this role your own and with future progression within an expanding company in mind this could be the position for you.

We will invest in your success, is it time for you to join our team and start your journey? Please refer to our website www.magneticshields.co.uk for more information.