Assistant Purchasing Manager

Hong Poh Engineering Construction Sdn Bhd; George Town; On-site; MYR 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Hong Poh Engineering Construction Sdn Bhd is seeking an experienced and hands-on Assistant Purchasing Manager in Penang to strengthen the Purchasing function and drive operational efficiency.

You will review and improve purchasing processes, establish SOPs, strengthen controls, and develop the team into a proactive, value-added business support unit.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor’s in Supply Chain/Procurement or related field.
• Solid experience in purchasing/procurement within construction or M&E sectors.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end purchasing activities including sourcing, RFQ, evaluation and PO issuance.
• Develop suppliers based on cost, quality, lead time and project needs.
• Lead commercial negotiations for favorable terms and delivery reliability.
• Review quotations and purchasing recommendations for major purchases.
• Coordinate with Project/Engineering/Site teams to ensure timely procurement.
• Monitor POs, delivery performance and procurement issues impacting schedules.
• Develop alternate sourcing to reduce procurement risk and improve competitiveness.
• Review and improve purchasing workflows, SOPs and control mechanisms.
• Coach and develop the Purchasing team.

Skills

Procurement

Negotiation

Supplier management

Excel proficiency

Leadership

Education

Degree in SCM

Tools

MS Office

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and hands‑on Assistant Purchasing Manager to strengthen our Purchasing function and drive greater operational efficiency. Beyond managing day‑to‑day procurement activities, this role will be responsible for reviewing and improving purchasing processes, establishing and enhancing relevant SOPs, strengthening procurement controls, and developing the existing Purchasing team into a more proactive and value‑added business support function.

Key responsibilities

Manage and oversee end‑to‑end purchasing activities, including sourcing, RFQ, quotation evaluation, negotiation, purchase order issuance and delivery follow‑up.

Source, evaluate and develop suppliers based on cost competitiveness, quality, reliability, lead time and project requirements.

Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers to achieve competitive pricing, favourable terms and reliable delivery.

Review quotation comparisons and purchasing recommendations for major or critical purchases.

Work closely with Project, Engineering, Site and other departments to understand requirements and ensure timely procurement.

Monitor outstanding purchase orders, delivery performance and procurement issues that may affect project schedules.

Develop alternative sources of supply to reduce procurement risk and improve competitiveness.

Review existing purchasing workflows, practices and controls to identify operational gaps, bottlenecks and improvement opportunities.

Develop, establish, review and continuously improve Purchasing policies, SOPs, workflows and control mechanisms.

Lead, guide and coach existing Purchasing team members in their daily responsibilities and professional development.

Requirements

Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Engineering or a related discipline.

Solid experience in purchasing/procurement, preferably within the construction, engineering, M&E, C&S, piping or project‑based environment.

Hands‑on experience in supplier sourcing, commercial negotiation, quotation evaluation and procurement management.

Experience in reviewing, developing or implementing purchasing SOPs, workflows and process improvements is highly preferred.

Demonstrated ability to lead, coach or guide purchasing team members.

Strong commercial awareness, analytical ability and negotiation skills.

Able to identify operational issues and translate them into practical process improvements.

Good stakeholder‑management and communication skills.

Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

Candidates currently holding a Senior Purchasing Executive or equivalent position with strong leadership potential and relevant experience are encouraged to apply.

Hong Poh Engineering Construction Sdn. Bhd. was established since 1995 to provide all the services related to Air-Condition, included the Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) System Installation, Process Piping Installation, AC Equipment Service, Repairing, Clean Room and Air Pollution Controls Equipment & Installation. Meanwhile our Company also venture into M&E Design, Installation & Hook Up, Renovation & Civil Building Construction.

Hong Poh Engineering Construction Sdn. Bhd. was established since 1995 to provide all the services related to Air-Condition, included the Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) System Installation, Process Piping Installation, AC Equipment Service, Repairing, Clean Room and Air Pollution Controls Equipment & Installation. Meanwhile our Company also venture into M&E Design, Installation & Hook Up, Renovation & Civil Building Construction.