Supply & Purchasing Manager

Experis - ManpowerGroup; Park Central; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Experis - ManpowerGroup in Birmingham is recruiting a Supply & Purchasing Manager to join the new Business Supply Chain function, integrating demand planning, forecasting, supply planning and purchasing governance.

You will lead demand planning across teams, translate demand into a supply plan, own purchasing governance and Control Tower rules, and drive improved cost and performance. This is a 3–6 month hybrid role at £500 per day (Umbrella). Experience in inventory and ERP systems is valued.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in supply chain planning, purchasing or procurement operations.
• Strong demand planning, forecasting and supply planning capability.
• Experience designing and operating practical purchasing controls.
• Commercial and financial understanding, including cost avoidance and working capital.
• Confident use of data and ability to lead teams through change.
• Clear communication and confidence to challenge constructively.
• Experience of inventory, ERP or purchasing systems.
• Experience standardising fragmented purchasing routes or implementing a Control Tower.

Responsibilities

• Lead demand planning and forecasting across Product, Sales, Commercial, Service, Finance and operational teams.
• Translate demand into an agreed supply plan, balancing customer needs, available stock, lead times and supply risk.
• Own purchasing governance, approval routes and operating standards.
• Apply Control Tower rules to purchase requests, stock transfers and allocation decisions, including an exception route for critical orders.
• Lead the purchasing capability as it transitions into Supply Chain.
• Standardise fragmented buying routes and identify value through demand challenge, use of existing stock and supplier leverage.
• Provide demand, purchasing and supply insight for performance, risk and executive decisions.

Skills

Supply chain planning

Demand forecasting

Purchasing controls

Inventory/ERP systems

Data-driven decisions

Stakeholder communication

Change management

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Supply & Purchasing Manager
£500.00 per day (Umbrella)
Birmingham (hybrid)
3 / 6 Month Contract

Our client is currently searching for a Supply & Purchasing Manager to join their team in Birmingham. This role sits within the new Business Supply Chain function, bringing demand planning, forecasting, supply planning and purchasing governance together.

The role links customer demand, available inventory and new supply so the business can reduce avoidable cost, improve supply performance and establish the operating discipline required by the Supply Chain Control Tower.

Responsibilities:

• Lead demand planning and forecasting across Product, Sales, Commercial, Service, Finance and operational teams.
• Translate demand into an agreed supply plan, balancing customer needs, available stock, lead times and supply risk.
• Own purchasing governance, approval routes and operating standards.
• Apply Control Tower rules to purchase requests, stock transfers and allocation decisions, including an exception route for critical orders.
• Lead the purchasing capability as it transitions into Supply Chain.
• Standardise fragmented buying routes and identify value through demand challenge, use of existing stock and supplier leverage.
• Provide demand, purchasing and supply insight for performance, risk and executive decisions.

Key decisions you will own

• Challenge or approve purchase requests within agreed authority and route material exceptions for decision.
• Decide when existing inventory should be transferred or redeployed before new supply is purchased.
• Set demand, forecasting and purchasing governance standards.
• Prioritise supply and allocation during constraints using agreed customer and business criteria.

Key skills / Experience:

• Significant experience in supply chain planning, purchasing or procurement operations.
• Strong demand planning, forecasting and supply planning capability.
• Experience designing and operating practical purchasing controls.
• Commercial and financial understanding, including cost avoidance and working capital.
• Confident use of data and ability to lead teams through change.
• Clear communication and confidence to challenge constructively.
• Experience of inventory, ERP or purchasing systems.
• Experience standardising fragmented purchasing routes or implementing a Control Tower.