Senior Strategic Buyer

Morgan Jones Recruitment Consultants; Marden; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Jones Recruitment Consultants in Marden, Kent, seeks an experienced Senior Strategic Buyer for a manufacturing business. You will own strategic sourcing, lead supplier negotiations, and drive cost-saving initiatives across the site, collaborating with the Supply Chain Manager and purchasing team to ensure materials meet production needs.

The role requires SAP expertise, data maintenance for MRP, and strong supplier relationship skills.

Qualifications

• Must have substantial purchasing or strategic buying experience in manufacturing.
• Extensive SAP experience, including data maintenance and MRP.
• Proven ability to develop sourcing strategies and drive cost savings.
• Strong negotiation and supplier-management skills.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and leadership abilities.
• Willingness to travel as required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans to reduce costs.
• Lead commodity purchasing and support strategic procurement projects.
• Analyze spend data, market trends, and supplier performance.
• Identify and onboard new suppliers ensuring quality and reliability.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and long-term supplier agreements.
• Maintain SAP data to support reliable MRP output.
• Monitor material requirements with production and materials teams.
• Review procurement processes and KPIs to drive improvements.
• Mentor team members and cover SCM tasks when needed.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier negotiation

Supplier relationship management

Analytical thinking

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

SAP

Job description

Senior Strategic Buyer

Location: Marden, Kent

Salary: £40,000-£55,000 per annum, depending on experience

Hours: 35 hours per week

Employment Type: Permanent

About the Role

We are recruiting for an experienced Senior Strategic Buyer to join an established manufacturing business based in Marden, Kent.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced purchasing professional to take ownership of strategic sourcing activities, lead supplier negotiations and drive cost-saving initiatives across the business. Working closely with the Supply Chain Manager and wider purchasing team, you will play a key role in improving supply chain efficiency, maintaining supplier performance and ensuring materials are available to meet production requirements.

Previous SAP experience is essential for this role, particularly in relation to maintaining purchasing data and supporting Material Requirements Planning (MRP).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans to reduce costs and improve supply chain efficiency.
• Lead commodity purchasing activities and support strategic procurement projects across the business.
• Analyse spend data, market trends and supplier performance to identify opportunities for savings.
• Identify, assess and onboard new suppliers, ensuring quality, cost-effectiveness and reliability.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts and long-term supplier agreements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, monitoring performance against agreed standards.
• Identify and manage supply chain risks to support continuity of production.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and system data within SAP to ensure reliable MRP output.
• Monitor material requirements and work with production and materials teams to minimise shortages.
• Review purchasing agreements, procurement processes and departmental KPIs to drive continuous improvement.
• Support and mentor members of the purchasing team, providing cover for the Supply Chain Manager when required.

About You

• Previous SAP experience - essential, including purchasing data and MRP-related activities.
• Substantial experience in purchasing, procurement or strategic buying, ideally within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies and identifying cost-reduction opportunities.
• Strong supplier negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Experience managing supplier performance, contracts and procurement risks.
• Excellent analytical skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work collaboratively across departments.
• Good communication and leadership skills.
• CIPS qualification and a strong understanding of purchasing compliance legislation.
• Flexibility to travel when required.

The Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of strategic purchasing activities, influence supplier relationships and contribute to wider business objectives. You will also have the chance to support the development of the purchasing team and drive improvements across procurement processes.