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 ManpowerGroup website.