Senior Buyer

Senior Buyer

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Buyer to join a fast-growing, high-performance manufacturing environment based in Eastleigh. This is a hands-on senior role suited to someone who enjoys ownership, problem-solving and being closely involved in day-to-day operations while influencing longer-term sourcing strategy.

You'll be responsible for end-to-end procurement, supplier performance and material availability, working closely with Planning, Manufacturing, Engineering, R&D, Quality and Finance teams. The role also partners with a US-based Supply Chain Manager to align on global sourcing strategy and supplier performance.

What You'll Be Doing

• Manage end-to-end procurement activities to support production demand and inventory requirements
• Create and maintain accurate purchase orders, supplier data and item masters within the ERP system (NetSuite)
• Leading strategic sourcing activities, including identifying and qualifying alternative suppliers to ensure continuity of supply
• Negotiate pricing, lead times and commercial terms to drive cost reduction and value improvement
• Manage supplier relationships, delivery performance, corrective actions and quality concerns
• Supporting Engineering, Planning, Operations and Quality teams to resolve supply issues and expedite critical materials
• Oversee goods-in and receiving activities, ensuring accuracy against purchase orders, drawings, certifications and quality requirements
• Manage non-conforming materials, supplier deviations and concessions in collaboration with Engineering and Quality
• Coordinate inbound and outbound shipments, including documentation, packaging, carrier bookings and issue resolution
• Maintain accurate inventory records, stock locations, traceability and cycle counts
• Monitor supplier lead times, capacity and market trends to proactively mitigate supply chain risk
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across procurement, logistics, shipping and receiving processes
• Ensure compliance with site safety and PPE requirements

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience in procurement, purchasing, and inventory control within a manufacturing environment
• Strong supplier management, negotiation and cost analysis skills
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical documentation
• Hands-on experience with goods-in, packing, dispatch, freight carriers and material handling
• Strong attention to detail with a disciplined approach to stock control and traceability
• Confident communicator able to work effectively with suppliers and cross-functional teams
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, changing environment with competing priorities
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems such as NetSuite, Business Central or Oracle
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft 365

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business Admin, Engineering, Accounting or a related field (preferred)
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in procurement or purchasing, ideally within a technical or complex manufacturing environment
• Experience working closely with Engineering, Quality and Operations teams

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible, influential role where your expertise will directly impact business performance, supplier strategy and operational success. You'll have ownership, autonomy and the chance to shape procurement and logistics processes in a growing manufacturing operation.