Head of Buying jobs

About The Role:

We are looking for an experienced and commercially focused Senior Buyer to join our Purchasing team. As Senior Buyer you will play a key role in maintaining the continuous supply of goods, materials and services while improving supplier performance, commercial outcomes and data-led decision-making.

Working closely with the Purchasing Director, you will lead strategic sourcing and category management activity and help deliver improvements across both the team and our supplier base.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain the continuous supply of goods, materials and services to the business.
• Lead category management activity and ensure purchase orders are created accurately and on time.
• Interpret material requirements and demand at different levels across the business.
• Work with suppliers to agree requirements and delivery dates, resolve issues and drive continuous improvement.
• Negotiate commercial terms and deliver value through effective sourcing decisions.
• Monitor market trends, supplier capability and opportunities to develop new suppliers.
• Manage supplier relationships through structured performance reviews and challenge underperformance constructively.
• Support and execute departmental strategies that deliver change across the supplier base.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators and contribute to departmental reporting and stakeholder engagement.
• Strengthen purchasing processes, reporting and data-led decision-making.
• Provide practical support with complex supplier or supply issues.
• Mentor colleagues, support the development of team capability and deputise for the Purchasing Director when required.

About you

You will be a resilient, decisive and commercially astute procurement professional who is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. You can balance attention to detail with a strategic perspective, build strong stakeholder relationships and turn analysis into practical action.

Experience and Required Skills:

• CIPS Level 6 qualification.
• Substantial procurement or purchasing experience, ideally gained in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong strategic sourcing capability, including overseas sourcing experience.
• Excellent negotiation, commercial and analytical skills.
• 15-20 years experience of procurement/purchasing function ideally in a manufacturing environment (metal fabricating, timber, plastics)
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• A proven ability to build and manage effective supplier partnerships.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint

Desirable Experience:

• A degree in business, engineering or a related discipline.
• Working knowledge of Sage.
• Knowledge of steel, timber and plastics markets.
• Experience of category management and leading or managing teams.
• A track record of coaching and developing colleagues at different levels of capability.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to make a visible impact in a newly created role. You will help shape purchasing processes, influence supplier strategy and support the continued development of the purchasing team.

Working Hours: Monday to Friday 08:00 - 16:30, with additional hours as may be required

Holidays: 25 days holiday entitlement, plus 8 bank holidays

Salary: Competitive market salary & discretionary annual profit scheme

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £55,000.00-£65,000.00 per year

Experience:

• Manufacturing: 10 years (preferred)

Location:

• Newcastle ST5 (preferred)

Work Location: In person