Job Specification.
Job Title: Senior Project Buyer – Retail Team
Department: Supply
Reporting: Purchasing Manager
Key Function: As a fundamental member of the Supply function, with responsibility for 2 direct reports, the Senior Project Buyer will take ultimate “ownership” of relevant key projects within the company’s cross-functional team structure, covering all operational issues following design conception through to completion and delivery of the tangible product to the client.
Working directly with our global supplier network, the role will liaise closely with Sales, Design and where necessary the Customer to ensure the smooth flow of work through the business and satisfactory completion of projects on time, within budget and to the company’s quality standards.
Main Duties:
- Be responsible for 2 direct reports, providing guidance, mentoring & support as required.
- Manage the progress of projects within your team, taking full ownership for your own projects to ensure they are delivered as required.
- Provide status information, including any actions required to mitigate operational issues to relevant members of the team in a timely manner.
- Ensure best price and delivery by means of benchmarking, interrogation of cost and negotiation with suppliers prior to submitting final costs.
- Work proactively on methods to drive efficiency and reduce cost by means of optimising use of the supply chain.
- Work with your team to ensure they are working smartly to allow resource to be used optimally.
- Maintain budgetary control of all projects within the field of responsibility. Providing a major contribution to the company’s financial reporting system.
- Through active consultation with direct reports & fellow team members, particularly the Project Manager, plan and facilitate work throughput, responding to and controlling change to ensure appropriate prioritisation of tasks and adherence to internal SLAs.
- Ensure appropriate quality control / assurance is maintained at all stages of the supply chain. Planning and overseeing on-site supervision of work in progress where necessary.
- Interact directly with our overseas liaison offices, suppliers, partners, and inter-company divisions by way of conventional communications media and when necessary, foreign travel.
- Work with the Procurement Director to help drive new supplier selection, development, and performance initiatives on a world-wide basis.
- Provide advice and intelligence to Designers and Sales staff on the external processes and services we manage, in terms of availability and prevailing commercial influencers.
Experience and Attributes:
- At least 4 years’ experience, 1 of these at senior level, of buying within a similar industry with a bias towards out-sourcing as opposed to in-house manufacture.
- Essential to have a comprehensive working knowledge of most production disciplines: metalwork, joinery, acrylic fabrication, vacuum forming, print, injection moulding and materials associated with manufacturing displays / fixtures.
- A track record of project buying POP and ancillary services for Retail, particularly relating to assemblies comprising of multi-materials & technology.
- Experience of installation within a retail environment would be an advantage.
- An understanding of technology such as screens, lift & learn devices associated with displays would be a distinct advantage.
- An understanding of technical drawings
- Knowledge of the Export / Import process.
- Direct experience of managing both domestic and over-seas suppliers, ideally in the Far East & Eastern Europe.
- Computer literacy with a high level of competence with spreadsheets, internal production planning software, Word & PowerPoint.
- Highly numerate, able to analyse and add value to data.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Willingness to explore all angles to achieve solutions.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
- First-rate organisational skills.
- A high energy level is an essential attribute.
Advantaged Qualifications:
- BA (Hons) or HND in Business and Finance
- Fluency in a foreign language
