Senior Purchasing Executive

SmartHire by SEEK; Shah Alam; On-site; MYR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

SmartHire by SEEK is seeking a Senior Purchasing Executive to lead procurement, merchandising, inventory and e-commerce operations in a retail environment in Malaysia. You will own supplier strategy, costs, and digital sales growth while coaching a team to continuous improvement.

The role demands cross-functional collaboration, strong negotiation skills, and a focus on cost reduction and product availability. You will drive governance, report purchasing metrics, and optimise stock and promotions.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or similar.
• 3–5 years in Procurement or Purchasing, retail experience preferred.
• Ability to negotiate contracts and achieve cost savings.
• Strong communication in English, Bahasa, and Mandarin.
• Analytical skills to assess products, suppliers, costs and inventory.
• Leadership capabilities to coach teams and drive improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead merchandising improvements: review product mix, sales, inventory, supplier records.
• Forecast product costs by monitoring supply and demand factors.
• Establish and maintain procurement standards in line with policies.
• Coach and develop direct reports to build a high-performing team.
• Review procurement policies to support governance.
• Oversee purchase requisitions, quotations, pricing comparisons and orders.
• Select suppliers based on price, quality, delivery, support and reliability.
• Identify group buying opportunities to improve purchasing value.
• Lead regular meetings to review processes and ensure quality of purchases.
• Prepare weekly/monthly purchasing reports for Management.
• Manage inventory levels to maximise sales and minimise stockouts.
• Drive e-commerce performance by strengthening brand and online presence.
• Plan online and offline promotions aligned with initiatives.
• Represent shopper interests in digital marketing plans and budgeting.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Supplier negotiations

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Leadership

Cost analysis

Education

Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration

Job description

Our client is seeking a Senior Purchasing Executive to join their team!

This is a high-impact opportunity to lead procurement, merchandising, inventory and e-commerce operations within a retail environment. The role offers broad ownership across supplier strategy, cost management, team leadership, product availability and digital sales growth.

What you'll be doing?

• Lead merchandising improvements: Restructure and continuously improve the merchandising department by reviewing product mix, sales, inventory, supplier and receiving records.
• Forecast product costs: Monitor supply and demand factors to forecast current and future product costs.
• Manage procurement standards: Establish and maintain procurement standards and procedures that align with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the department: Coach, mentor and develop direct reports while building a high-performing team focused on continuous improvement and cost reduction.
• Strengthen procurement controls: Review and improve procurement policies and procedures to support effective governance.
• Manage purchase requests: Oversee purchase requisitions and quotation requests, prepare comparisons, negotiate pricing and place supplier orders.
• Manage supplier relationships: Select suppliers based on price, quality, delivery, support and reliability while developing strategic partnerships.
• Coordinate group buying: Identify opportunities to establish group buying arrangements and improve purchasing value.
• Improve procurement operations: Lead regular meetings to review processes and maintain the quality of purchased products and materials.
• Monitor purchasing performance: Prepare weekly and monthly purchasing reports for Management review.
• Optimise inventory: Manage inventory levels to maximise sales opportunities and minimise out-of-stock situations.
• Drive e-commerce performance: Secure platform assets, strengthen brand presence and improve daily online performance.
• Develop promotions: Plan online and offline promotional activities aligned with national initiatives and e-commerce demands.
• Champion digital commerce: Represent the shopper in digital marketing plans and ensure e-commerce is included in business planning and budgeting.

Who are they looking for?

• Relevant qualifications: A Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or a similar field.
• Procurement experience: At least 3-5 years of experience in Procurement or Purchasing, preferably within supermarkets or retail businesses.
• Contract negotiation: The ability to negotiate contracts and secure commercially sound purchasing outcomes.
• Communication skills: Good communication skills in English, Bahasa and Mandarin to liaise effectively with suppliers, internal stakeholders and business partners.
• Analytical capability: Strong research and analytical skills to assess products, suppliers, costs, inventory and market factors.
• Leadership strength: Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to coach teams and drive continuous improvement.