Senior Buyer

Vickerstock are working in partnership with an international equipment manufacturer business to recruit a Senior Buyer on a full-time permanent basis. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded procurement professional to join a business operating within a fast-paced engineering and production environment.

Reporting to the Supply Chain Manager, the successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring material availability, cost control and supplier performance to support both production and project-based manufacturing.

As the Senior Buyer, you will take ownership of purchasing activity across production and engineered projects, ensuring materials are available in line with build schedules while driving cost efficiencies and supplier performance improvements.

• Liaise with Engineering, Production and Finance to ensure smooth material flow and accurate system management
• Generate and oversee purchase documentation to support both serial production and bespoke project requirements
• Engage with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, improve lead times and enhance overall service delivery
• Develop and maintain effective supplier partnerships, setting clear performance expectations
• Maintain accurate supplier records, purchasing systems and related documentation
• Contribute to cost reduction and inventory optimisation initiatives
• Support Finance in resolving invoice queries and goods‑receipt discrepancies
• Manage and review supplier pricing structures and maintain current cost data
• Review planning outputs to determine short‑ and medium‑term material requirements
• Interpret technical drawings and manufacturing documentation to validate purchasing requirements
• Monitor inventory levels and schedule orders to ensure continuity of supply, assisting with stock counts when required
• Identify material shortages and explore suitable alternative components where necessary
• Maintain visibility of critical and long lead‑time items through structured reporting
• Collaborate with Engineering to confirm specifications and align supply with design updates
• Partner with Production to minimise disruption, resolve bottlenecks and support manufacturing flow
• Communicate effectively across departments to ensure alignment on priorities and timelines
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives across supply chain and operational processes
• Maintain savings trackers and contribute to supply chain performance reporting

• Previous experience in a Buyer / Purchasing role within manufacturing or engineering
• Strong commercial awareness and negotiation capability
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build cross‑functional relationships
• Proactive approach with strong organisational skills

To be considered for this vacancy, please apply today and get in touch with our supply chain and procurement specialist Michael Irwin today!