Senior Buyer

SF Recruitment are working with a fast-growing manufacturing business who manufacture innovative products into the FMCG industry, to recruit a Senior Buyer. An exciting time to join this business during a period of sustained growth. 

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, own, and implement a fit-for-purpose procurement strategy aligned with business goals.
• Manage end-to-end procurement of raw materials, consumables, and production-critical components.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers to ensure supply chain resilience, competitive pricing, and quality standards.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships; lead contract negotiations and performance reviews.
• Ensure all purchasing activities meet production schedules, balancing cost, lead time, and inventory levels.
• Work cross-functionally with production, operations, engineering, and finance teams to support new product development, manage material availability, and reduce supply risk.
• Develop and maintain accurate procurement data, forecasts, and spend reporting to inform decision-making.
• Monitor and manage supplier performance, driving continuous improvement initiatives in quality, cost, and delivery.
• Contribute to make-or-buy decisions, cost-saving initiatives, and operational efficiency improvements.
• Prepare for future growth by identifying opportunities to scale procurement processes and potentially grow a dedicated procurement team.

Skills & Experience Required

• Proven procurement experience within a manufacturing or engineering-led environment.
• Strong commercial acumen, with excellent negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Track record of developing and implementing sourcing strategies that deliver measurable value.
• Experience purchasing raw materials and managing supply for low-volume, high-mix production is highly desirable.
• Comfortable operating in a standalone role with broad responsibility.
• Hands-on, proactive mindset with the ability to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery.
• High level of proficiency in Excel and procurement-related systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate across departments.