Purchasing Specialist

The Purchasing Specialist is accountable for the accurate and timely placement and progression of purchase orders, maintaining supplier coordination which support dependable fulfilment and positive customer outcomes.

The Purchasing Specialist manages purchasing activity from approved customer orders through to supplier confirmation and delivery handover. Working across the business’s approved supply chain routes and internal teams, the role validates pricing, availability, delivery information and order data, proactively resolves exceptions and keeps relevant stakeholders informed throughout the purchasing process.

• Raise and place purchase orders accurately and promptly against approved customer orders and internal requirements.
• Validate product codes, quantities, pricing, delivery details and supplier terms before orders are submitted.
• Obtain and record supplier acknowledgements, order reference numbers and confirmed delivery dates.

• Liaise with suppliers and distribution partners to check product availability, lead times and delivery changes.
• Escalate supply constraints, delays or discrepancies internally that may affect fulfilment or the customer experience.

• Aligning to the Order Management specialists, ensure all relevant bid references, expiry dates and bid support are in place prior to progressing the Purchase Order.
• Identify price variances, carriage charges and unexpected costs before purchase orders progress.
• Work with Product Specialists, Order Management and Finance to resolve pricing, invoice and order discrepancies.
• Identify purchasing cost saving opportunities by reviewing supplier pricing, consolidating demand and selecting the most cost effective fulfilment route.
• Process purchase order amendments and cancellations accurately.

• Build effective working relationships across Order Management, Sales, Product Specialists, Finance and Warehouse teams.
• Provide clear and proactive updates on order progress, exceptions, required actions and revised delivery expectations.
• Maintain professional and responsive supplier relationships that support timely order fulfilment and issue resolution.

• Proactively maintain and manage daily workflow tasks including first pass ETA updates, minimum stocking runs, supplier code allocations and pricing updates.
• Own an assigned purchasing workload, prioritising urgent orders, customer commitments and deadlines within agreed service levels.
• Identify recurring purchasing issues and contribute practical ideas that improve accuracy, efficiency and service performance.

• Detail oriented – consistently checks quantities, pricing and delivery information for accuracy.
• Highly organised and responsive – able to manage multiple purchase orders, priorities and deadlines while meeting agreed service levels.
• Commercially aware – understands how supplier pricing, carriage, availability and order accuracy affect margin and customer outcomes.
• Proactive and accountable – takes ownership of purchasing activity from order placement through to confirmation and delivery handover.
• Clear communicator – provides concise, timely updates and communicates confidently with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Systems and data confident – comfortable maintaining accurate purchasing information across order-management and business systems.
• Practical problem solver – investigates discrepancies, identifies the cause and coordinates the appropriate resolution.
• Collaborative – works effectively with Order Management, Sales, Product Specialists, Finance, Warehouse teams and…