Purchasing Officer

Purchasing Officer

Location: Newport
Salary: Up to £28,000 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday (office-based)
Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, career progression opportunities

Our client, a respected and forward-thinking manufacturing business based in Newport, is seeking a proactive and motivated Purchasing Officer to join their busy purchasing department. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual looking to develop their career in supply chain and procurement within a dynamic, engineering-led environment.

Role Purpose:

The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting an effective and efficient supply chain that meets business requirements and cost objectives. They will assist in ensuring that all subcontract and purchasing activities align with the company's strategic goals and contribute to overall operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and control purchase orders for subcontracted services.

• Maintain and develop strong partnerships within the subcontract supply chain.

• Expedite materials and parts to meet production requirements.

• Arrange material and goods collections when necessary.

• Process sales department requests for subcontract materials and quotations.

• Negotiate cost-effective packages and contracts.

• Identify and implement Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE) opportunities.

• Represent the purchasing department in production and other internal meetings as required.

• Provide support and holiday cover for the Purchasing Manager, including MRP/ERP processes, RFQs, engineering change control, inventory purchasing, and non-conformance activities.

Key Performance Outcomes:

• Achieve positive Purchase Price Variance (PPV) against targets.

• Maintain strong vendor and supplier relationships.

• Deliver year-on-year material cost reductions.

• Contribute to on-time delivery performance.

• Support inventory reduction initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Previous procurement or supply chain experience is essential.

• CIPS qualification (or working towards) is advantageous.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in a procurement role.

• Ideally from a bespoke manufacturing or mechanical engineering environment.

• Knowledge of base metals, alloys, machining, and foundry processes desirable.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong negotiation and costing skills.

• Proficient in ERP/MRP systems and supply chain management processes.

• Excellent IT skills (Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams).

• Effective communicator with strong presentation and relationship-building skills.

• Confident in global sourcing and supplier management.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a well-established and supportive organisation in Newport, offering clear career progression, stability, and the chance to make a real impact within a growing supply chain team.

Vibe Recruit is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.