Senior Strategic Buyer

Job description

Senior Strategic Buyer
Location: Marden, Kent
Salary: £40,000–£55,000 per annum, depending on experience
Hours: 35 hours per week
Employment Type: Permanent

About the Role

We are recruiting for an experienced Senior Strategic Buyer to join an established manufacturing business based in Marden, Kent.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced purchasing professional to take ownership of strategic sourcing activities, lead supplier negotiations and drive cost-saving initiatives across the business. Working closely with the Supply Chain Manager and wider purchasing team, you will play a key role in improving supply chain efficiency, maintaining supplier performance and ensuring materials are available to meet production requirements.

Previous SAP experience is essential for this role, particularly in relation to maintaining purchasing data and supporting Material Requirements Planning (MRP).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans to reduce costs and improve supply chain efficiency.
• Lead commodity purchasing activities and support strategic procurement projects across the business.
• Analyse spend data, market trends and supplier performance to identify opportunities for savings.
• Identify, assess and onboard new suppliers, ensuring quality, cost-effectiveness and reliability.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts and long-term supplier agreements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, monitoring performance against agreed standards.
• Identify and manage supply chain risks to support continuity of production.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and system data within SAP to ensure reliable MRP output.
• Monitor material requirements and work with production and materials teams to minimise shortages.
• Review purchasing agreements, procurement processes and departmental KPIs to drive continuous improvement.
• Support and mentor members of the purchasing team, providing cover for the Supply Chain Manager when required.

About You

To be considered for this opportunity, you will have:

• Previous SAP experience – essential, including purchasing data and MRP-related activities.
• Substantial experience in purchasing, procurement or strategic buying, ideally within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies and identifying cost-reduction opportunities.
• Strong supplier negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Experience managing supplier performance, contracts and procurement risks.
• Excellent analytical skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work collaboratively across departments.
• Good communication and leadership skills.
• CIPS qualification and a strong understanding of purchasing compliance legislation.
• Flexibility to travel when required.

The Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of strategic purchasing activities, influence supplier relationships and contribute to wider business objectives. You will also have the chance to support the development of the purchasing team and drive improvements across procurement processes.

If you have a strong background in strategic purchasing, experience using SAP and the ability to deliver commercial value through effective supplier management, we would love to hear from you.

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