Buying Manager

Job purpose

Buying and supplier responsibilities

• Develop buying plans aligned with business priorities, customer or operational needs, budgets, and product or service requirements.
• Identify, evaluate, and select suppliers based on quality, cost, reliability, service, capacity, and compliance.
• Lead negotiations on pricing, contracts, delivery schedules, payment terms, and service levels.
• Build supplier relationships, review performance, resolve issues, and identify opportunities to improve value and service.
• Oversee purchase requests, orders, confirmations, and delivery follow-up.

Planning, controls, and collaboration

• Work with relevant teams on demand, stock, lead times, and replenishment to balance availability with inventory and cost objectives.
• Monitor markets, supplier capacity, pricing, and product or service developments to inform buying decisions.
• Manage budgets and spending, analyze costs, and identify savings or value improvements.
• Ensure purchasing follows company policies, contractual requirements, regulations, quality, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Assess supply, pricing, delivery, and supplier risks; develop mitigation plans and escalate material concerns.
• Prepare buying reports, forecasts, spend analyses, and supplier performance measures.
• Collaborate across Finance, Operations, Merchandising, Planning, and other teams; lead and develop buying team members.
• Improve sourcing, purchasing workflows, supplier management, and use of procurement systems and data.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, or a related field; equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience in buying, procurement, purchasing, sourcing, or a related commercial function.
• Experience managing supplier relationships and negotiating pricing, contracts, or commercial terms.
• Experience analyzing costs, budgets, demand, inventory, or supplier performance.
• Proficiency with procurement or purchasing systems and spreadsheet applications, including Microsoft Excel.
• Experience preparing purchasing reports, forecasts, and business documentation.
• People management or team leadership experience, or demonstrated ability to guide and develop colleagues.

Skills and competencies

• Strong negotiation, influencing, and supplier relationship management skills.
• Commercial awareness and ability to balance quality, cost, availability, and business needs.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, including interpreting purchasing data and assessing options.
• Planning, organization, and time-management skills to handle priorities and deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication and effective cross-department collaboration.
• Sound judgment and discretion with commercial, supplier, and financial information.
• Ability to lead and motivate a team and build effective working relationships.
• Commitment to ethical procurement, policy compliance, and continuous process improvement.