Manufacturing Buyer

Join a forward-thinking organisation based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire where procurement plays a critical role in delivering reliable products and services to customers. You'll be part of a team that values clear communication, continuous improvement, and practical problem-solving. This is a great opportunity for a Manufacturing Buyer who enjoys building strong supplier relationships, driving cost and quality outcomes, and contributing to long-term supply assurance.

Job Responsibilities

Manage the end-to-end purchasing process for assigned commodities, ensuring timely and cost-effective procurement.
Develop and maintain supplier relationships to support service levels, quality requirements, and delivery performance.
Source, evaluate, and onboard suppliers in line with business needs, including conducting supplier comparisons and negotiations.
Negotiate pricing, terms, and commercial agreements to achieve agreed cost and value targets.
Monitor supplier performance using agreed KPIs and take corrective action where required.
Collaborate with internal stakeholders (e.g., engineering, operations, quality, finance) to understand requirements and resolve supply issues.
Support risk management activities, including identifying supply risks and proposing mitigation plans.
Maintain accurate procurement records, purchase documentation, and reporting to support audit readiness.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within procurement, including process and spend optimisation.

Required

Skills & Qualifications
Proven experience in purchasing or procurement, ideally with commodity ownership responsibilities.
Strong negotiation skills with the ability to influence suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Commercial awareness and a solid understanding of total cost of ownership (TCO) and value-based purchasing.
Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to manage conversations at both operational and strategic levels.
Analytical capability to review supplier data, identify trends, and support decision-making.
Working knowledge of procurement processes, including RFQs, supplier evaluation, and contract/commercial management.
Competent in using procurement and ERP systems, with the ability to manage purchase documentation accurately.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to prioritise workload in a fast-moving environment.
Relevant procurement qualification such as CIPS (or working towards) is desirable.

Experience with supplier performance management and corrective action processes.

Competitive salary + Bonus, 25 days holiday, Private Healthcare If you're a motivated Buyer looking to make a tangible impact on cost, quality, and supply assurance, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now to join a team that values ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

If you receive suspicious outreach claiming to be from us, please contact us via the Manpower Group website.