Senior Buyer

Manchester, United Kingdom

Full Time

Experienced

Job Title:	Senior Buyer
Reports to:	Head of Procurement
Department:	Procurement
Location:	Manchester

Job Summary:
The Senior Buyer will take a senior hands-on role in sourcing goods, materials, components and services that meet business requirements for cost, quality, delivery, compliance and continuity of supply. The role combines disciplined operational procurement with strategic category leadership, supplier negotiation, market intelligence and confident stakeholder engagement.

Working closely with internal teams, suppliers and the Head of Procurement, the Senior Buyer will be expected to bring experience, judgement and commercial challenge to procurement activity, identifying opportunities to improve terms, deliver savings, support second-source development, reduce supplier risk and provide clear insight for senior management decisions.

Main Duties:

Own and manage defined strategic spend categories, developing sourcing plans that support cost reduction, supply continuity, quality, compliance and business growth.
Bring senior procurement experience into the current team, helping to raise commercial capability, share best practice and support a more structured approach to category management.
Engage confidently with internal stakeholders to understand demand, specifications, risks and priorities, ensuring procurement activity is aligned with operational and commercial needs.
Lead supplier negotiations, tenders and contract reviews to secure competitive pricing, improved terms, risk protection and measurable value for the business.
Review category spend, supplier performance and market conditions to identify opportunities for savings, risk reduction, second sourcing, specification challenge and process improvement.
Manage the supplier base for assigned categories, using SAP data and other performance information to support regular reviews, corrective action and supplier development plans.
Monitor market trends, supplier capability, competitor activity and cost drivers, providing timely insight on risks, opportunities and commercial impacts.
Purchase goods, materials, components and services in line with agreed cost, quality and delivery targets, using SAP and agreed procurement processes.
Act as the interface between suppliers and internal departments on purchasing activity, supply issues, new projects and improvement initiatives.
Prepare procurement reports, savings updates and supplier performance information for management review and SLT support.
Support the Head of Procurement with strategic projects, annual objectives, savings delivery, supplier development and procurement capability-building initiatives.
Contribute positively to the wider Procurement team, sharing workload where required and supporting regulatory or business-critical requirements.
Undertake any other duties within the scope and competence of the role as required.

Flexibility Statement:
This job description is not inflexible but is an outline and account of the main duties. Any changes will be discussed with the post holder in advance. This job description will be reviewed periodically to consider changes and developments in requirements.

In order to be shortlisted applicants must demonstrate on your CV that you meet all the essential criteria set out in the Qualifications/Education, Experience and Skills & Knowledge sections below. Where there are a high number of applicants; the company reserve the right to shortlist using the desirable criteria.

	Essential The candidate must have this	Desirable It would be beneficial for the candidate to have this list (but not essential).
Qualifications/ Education	CIPS qualified or holding a relevant business or commercial degree.
Experience	Minimum ten years’ progressive purchasing or procurement experience, ideally within a manufacturing, chemical, industrial or technically complex environment. Proven experience operating at a senior buyer, category specialist or equivalent level, with the confidence to influence stakeholders and challenge suppliers commercially. Demonstrable experience managing suppliers, negotiating terms, improving service levels and delivering measurable cost savings or value improvement. Strong category management capability, including spend analysis, tendering, supplier review, market insight and risk management. Experience working with global suppliers and complex supply chains, including situations requiring continuity planning or second-source development.	Experience in industrial raw materials, commodities or market-index-linked purchasing. Experience supporting procurement transformation, team capability development or improved category-management ways of working.
Skills & Knowledge	Strong commercial, analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify opportunities and support senior-level decisions. Advanced Excel capability and confident use of Microsoft Office; experience of procurement reporting, performance analysis and savings tracking. Strong communication, negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work credibly with senior managers and technical teams. Ability to prioritize workload, manage deadlines and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a strategic view of supplier risk and value.	Familiarity with SAP or similar ERP systems. Experience supporting senior-level procurement reporting or presentations.
Personal Attributes	Professional, proactive and resilient team player who demonstrates accountability, integrity, commercial curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement. Confident contributing experience and constructive challenge within a developing procurement team, while remaining collaborative and hands-on.
Working Pattern	37 hours per week standard but will be required to be flexible with these hours in line with business need.

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. If you wish to request that your application be considered under the terms of our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please explicitly state so in your CV and / or accompanying cover letter.

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Luxfer MEL Technologies - UK

Thanks for visiting our Career Page. Please review our open positions and apply to the positions that match your qualifications.

Luxfer MEL Technologies is a world leader in the development, manufacture and supply of magnesium and zirconium based products and services.

Here, you will have the chance to work with some of the finest professional minded people and will have the support and training to develop yourself to the highest levels within a world leading company, contributing to our continued growth and success.

Senior Buyer

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