Full job description

Buyer / Procurement Specialist – Genuine Opportunity for Progression! Blackburn | £50,000 per annum + Excellent Benefits | Permanent | Fully Office Based

Are you an experienced Buyer or Procurement Specialist with a strong commercial mindset?

We are working exclusively with an established and growing award-winning manufacturing business based in Blackburn, who are looking to appoint a Buyer / Procurement Specialist to join their expanding Supply Chain team.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong commercial purchasing and supplier negotiation experience to take ownership of purchasing activity and make a genuine impact on the business.

Working closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders, you will be responsible for securing the right products and materials at the right price, while identifying opportunities to reduce costs, improve supplier terms and deliver commercial value.

Reporting to the Supply Chain Manager, this is a hands-on role with no direct reports, offering genuine opportunity to develop and progress as the procurement function grows.

Systems and IT-savvy candidates will excel in this role.

The Role Commercial Purchasing & Procurement

• Managing purchasing activity across assigned product and material categories
• Negotiating pricing, payment terms, lead times and service levels
• Obtaining and analysing quotations, RFQs and tenders
• Identifying cost-saving and alternative sourcing opportunities
• Challenging supplier pricing and identifying opportunities to improve value
• Managing purchase orders from placement through to delivery
• Ensuring purchasing decisions balance cost, quality, availability and service

Supplier Management

• Building and maintaining strong supplier relationships
• Negotiating with suppliers to achieve improved commercial terms
• Monitoring supplier performance across cost, quality and delivery
• Supporting supplier reviews and performance improvement initiatives
• Resolving supplier, pricing and delivery issues
• Developing long-term supplier partnerships

Commercial & Process Improvement

• Reviewing supplier spend and identifying cost reduction opportunities
• Supporting procurement reporting and KPI tracking
• Using ERP systems and Excel to analyse purchasing data
• Identifying opportunities to improve purchasing processes
• Working closely with planning, production and operations to ensure requirements are met

About You We are looking for a commercially driven purchasing professional who can demonstrate the ability to deliver tangible value through effective procurement.

You will ideally have:

• Previous experience within buying, purchasing or procurement
• Manufacturing experience would be advantageous
• Proven supplier negotiation experience
• Experience negotiating pricing, terms and service levels
• A track record of identifying cost-saving opportunities
• Experience with RFQs, quotations or supplier selection
• Strong understanding of purchase order management
• Excellent commercial awareness and analytical skills
• Experience using ERP systems and Microsoft Excel
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• The confidence to challenge suppliers and negotiate effectively