Senior Buyer
Porvair Filtration Group
Segensworth, Fareham - Onsite
Upto £52k per annum based on experience
Main purpose of job role:
Responsible for daily leadership and management of procurement team – coordination, training, facilitation and execution of operational activities and continuous improvement projects for lowest cost of acquisition. Lead supplier, risk and technical management activities and support for new product introduction. Enable and support creation of a growth and learning culture; a continuous improvement environment using lean principles and methodology to drive improved operational performance, effectiveness and delivery against KPI (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People).
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
Team Management
- Maintain a safe working area and ensure the team follows safe working practices.
- Prioritise resources so the team can meet priorities and deadlines.
- Manage departmental targets by monitoring team performance KPI’s and highlighting issues early.
- Help control day‑to‑day purchasing activity, including managing orders, monitoring demand, and supporting inventory accuracy.
- Support supplier issues by escalating problems and working with the team to keep operations running smoothly.
- Lead appropriate daily Tiered Accountability meetings to raise issues, share progress, and support problem‑solving.
- Enable and leverage continuous improvement initiatives with support functions to drive performance gains.
- Ensure trained resource is available to meet workload, regularly assess workforce competencies and keep track of individual skills and development needs.
- Provide daily supervision of the team, including attendance checks, workload support, and performance oversight.
- Support performance management through regular 1-2-1’s, and escalating more serious issues when needed.
- Support the Head of department in objective setting and regular performance reviews of the Team.
Procurement Strategy & Control
- Ensure adherence to MRP schedule, collaborating with MPS function to optimise delivery attainment
- Support Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (SIOP) process to ensure manufacturing capability is aligned to forecasted business demand
- Deliver pro-active supply chain participation in product development projects – supplier selection, delivery of technical and cost requirements to specification
- Engage with operations and engineering teams to provide necessary technical input to strategic purchasing discussion
- Ensure contracts and Long-Term-Agreements (LTA) as appropriate are placed for series production parts
- Collaborate with customers on specified suppliers and other supply chain activities
- Ensure team create accurate RFQ, Purchase Orders and all other processes as per procedure
- Liaison with all other functions (e.g. Finance for accounts Payable to resolve invoice queries)
- Prepare and present data for monthly reporting including trends and plans for improvement
Supplier Account Management & Development
- Promote Supplier Relationship Management (SRM). Optimise supply chain flow and mitigate strategic risk through facilitation and collaboration of regular reviews with key suppliers and Porvair stakeholders
- Control rejects, returns and non-conformance, driving corrective action planning to eliminate recurrence
- Audit suppliers in collaboration with Quality function, documenting supplier meetings. Manage qualification of suppliers to regulatory and customer requirements where needed
- Monitor risk to business operation and drive proactive response to protect On-Time-Delivery (OTD)
- Identify new and alternate suppliers to ensure business needs are met and build a resilient supplier portfolio, mitigating risk and minimising business exposure
Continuous Improvement, Cost Management and Reduction
- Cost development, cost and lead time reduction of suppliers using cost down roadmaps to meet supply chain savings targets. Target insourcing opportunities
- Negotiate improved terms and conditions, payment terms, buffer stock, free delivery and alternate methods to achieve lowest cost of acquisition whilst maintaining or exceeding quality and delivery performance and ensuring continuity of supply
Other Duties
- Active contribution to developing the Quality Management System (QMS) and promoting compliance
- Support statutory, customer, regulatory and corporate reporting requirements as necessary
- Support internal audit plan, conducting duties effectively and addressing non-conformity observations timely
- Support and drive company initiatives to reinforce our Company Values
- Perform other tasks as required
Essential Qualifications:
- CIPS Level 4 Procurement and Supply qualified or equivalent experience
- Degree or equivalent in Engineering, Business, Management or a related discipline
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Desirable Qualifications:
- CIPS Level 5 Procurement and Supply qualified or equivalent experience
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher
Skills & Knowledge Required:
Essential
- Relevant experience leading buying team in a high performing regulated environment
- Ability to motivate teams and lead change at all levels of the organisation, influencing 360
- Performance management, learning and development
- Experience using ERP systems (e.g. SYSPRO) and engineering data (cycle times, yields etc.)
- Procurement of commodities across series production and successful New Product Introduction
- Commercial awareness and understanding of contracts
- Strong and comprehensive negotiation capability
- Ability to read/interpret technical data/drawings
- Highly competent in data management and its application to drive business decision making
- MS Office – 365, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio
- Understanding and working knowledge of AS9100 requirements or alternatively IATF 16949 or ISO9001
- Lean – experience and direct delivery of business operation transformation activities
Desirable
- Mechanical component/machining procurement within Engineering environment
- Execution and application of tiered accountability for daily management operating system
Experience Required
- 3-5 years’ relevant experience in manufacturing procurement
- 2-3 years’ experience within aerospace or similar high mix, low volume manufacturing environment
Personal Skills Required:
Minimum competencies
The Senior Buyer is a result driven individual with flexibility in all aspects of their work. A good communicator with all levels of personnel, they are confident in leading others in a positive manner to deliver on time, in full. Familiar with global purchasing practices and documents, i.e. contracts, leases, payment techniques they are proficient to create, review, comprehend, interpret, process and evaluate documents written at the highest levels in English. Competent at delegation and making key decisions to achieve results, they have excellent organizational awareness and always ensure compliance to regulations and procedures, maintaining the highest standards of safety and operating practice.
Capable to manage their workload independently they demonstrate willingness to adapt and embrace changing business needs, bringing their team and peers along with them. Comfortable as a coach and leader, they are capable in managing conflict and prepared to challenge others to optimise business performance. It is vital that they are both a team leader and team player.
All employees are expected to strive to meet the company values of Our People, Customer Focus, Integrity, Innovation and Quality.
Other competencies
- Growth mindset
- Engaging and dynamic facilitation, presentation and problem-solving skills
- Tenacious and thorough approach to task execution and delivery
- Leadership direction and emphasis upon application of metrics/KPI to drive decision making
- Coaching, training and leading focused improvement biased teams
- Good understanding and application of change management
- Highly ethical, promoting the same attribute in team, business partners and vendor
- Operates within financial guidelines and authorisation procedures, complying with budgetary requirements
- Negotiation
- Performance development and management
Behavioural Indicators
- Regularly makes positive contributions that promote and improve working practices and behaviour in others
- Completes tasks to a high standard according to guidelines, policies, procedures
- Has a dynamic approach to work, working flexibly, willingly and in co-operation with others
- Adopts active and positive role in team meetings and shares knowledge and information with team members
- Distinguishes between facts and assumptions and asks questions to clarify understanding
- Works well under time pressure, remains positive, credible and professional – acts as a role model
- Maintains confidentiality, is trustworthy and readily assumes accountability for own actions
- Understands own role and responsibilities as well as the roles and responsibilities of others
- Works effectively with minimal supervision – reviews and evaluates own goals
- Takes the initiative to solve day-to-day problems in own area of work
- Actively listens to new ideas and demonstrates willingness to try out new ideas
- Knows where to go and what questions to ask to access the right information
- Accepts change and is positive in adopting and promoting improved working methods
- Demonstrates awareness of different ways of work; offers workable solutions and embraces suggestions
- Recognises when to ask for advice and when to inform others
- Demonstrates readiness to learn more and develop own performance
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