Purchasing Assistant - #2193155

Purchasing Assistant

• Job Type: Full-time
• Location: Birmingham
• Salary: £30,000

We are looking for a Purchasing Assistant to provide administrative and commercial support across the business, with a stronger focus on procurement activity. The Purchasing Assistant will help ensure supplier orders, records and quotation documents are prepared accurately and in a timely manner. This is an excellent opportunity for a Purchasing Assistant with experience in purchasing, procurement, material control or a similar administrative role.

Day-to-day of the role

• Prepare and issue purchase orders in line with approved requisitions.
• Obtain and compare supplier quotations, taking into account price, quantity, lead times and commercial terms such as landed costs.
• Liaise with suppliers to secure order acknowledgements and confirm delivery dates.
• Chase outstanding orders by email and telephone, keeping suppliers informed where orders are overdue.
• Support the identification of alternative suppliers and cost-saving opportunities, subject to technical and commercial approval.
• Assist in resolving pricing, batch and invoice queries with suppliers and internal teams.
• Review weekly stock reports and raise purchase orders where required.
• Support new product introductions and RFQs by submitting requests to the supply base.
• Assist with material control and reporting, including weekly and month-end reports, planning reports and negative stock reports.
• Provide day-to-day administrative support to the commercial team, including preparing customer quotations for routine referrals and aftermarket items.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Previous experience in purchasing, procurement, material control or a similar administrative role.
• Confidence working with numerical information and strong attention to detail.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate professionally with suppliers.
• Strong spreadsheet skills and confidence using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.
• Ability to use computer systems and databases accurately and efficiently.
• Team-oriented approach, while also being able to work independently when needed.
• Flexible, practical and organised, with the ability to manage a varied workload.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately.
• Experience within an engineering or manufacturing environment would be advantageous.
• Experience using an ERP or MRP system would be beneficial.

Benefits

• Annual bonus
• 1pm finishes on a Friday
• 33 days holiday
• Great opportunities for development and progression
• Opportunity to work across both purchasing and commercial functions.
• Exposure to procurement, supplier management and material control processes.
• Supportive team environment with scope to build experience in a varied role.