Assistant Buyer

Job Title: Assistant Buyer
Location: Manchester City Centre
Working Pattern: Hybrid - 3 days office / 2 days home
Contract: Starting asap until Feb/March 2027 with opportunities to be extended
Rate: Negotiable, depending on experience

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Assistant Buyer to join a leading organisation within the UK rail industry on a contract basis.

This is an excellent opportunity for a procurement professional to play a key role in ensuring the timely and cost-effective supply of materials and services required to support critical rail maintenance operations.

Working closely with Demand, Category Management, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Planning and Finance teams, you will be responsible for managing the end-to-end operational purchasing process, from requisition through to delivery. You will play a vital role in maintaining material availability, managing supplier relationships and minimising supply chain risks that could impact fleet availability and service continuity.

The role is based in Manchester City Centre and offers a flexible hybrid working arrangement of 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home.

Key Responsibilities
Receive, validate and convert purchase requisitions into purchase orders in line with inventory policies and replenishment strategies.
Ensure the continuous availability of materials and services required to support preventative, corrective and overhaul maintenance programmes.
Source parts and services from approved suppliers, obtain and evaluate quotations and conduct cost comparisons to achieve best value.
Consider Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Life Cycle Costing when assessing procurement options.
Support and lead supplier negotiations, focusing on pricing, lead times, delivery and overall commercial value.
Create, issue and manage purchase orders in line with agreed Category Management strategies and sourcing guidelines.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date procurement information within ERP systems, including delivery dates, order status and supplier information.
Proactively monitor and expedite purchase orders to ensure on-time delivery and identify and mitigate potential supply risks.
Conduct regular open-order reviews with key suppliers, addressing delays and driving improvements in supplier performance.
Maintain accurate procurement records, supplier data, pricing information and system records.
Ensure cost savings and cost avoidance initiatives are accurately captured and recorded.
Provide proactive procurement support to operational projects, particularly where critical repairs require urgent supplier intervention and prioritisation.
Investigate and resolve purchase order discrepancies, invoice queries and goods receipt issues.
Support supplier performance reporting and wider procurement continuous improvement initiatives.

You will ideally have:

Proven experience in a procurement, purchasing or buying role, preferably within the rail, transportation, engineering or manufacturing sectors.
A strong understanding of supply chain operations and supplier performance management.
Experience managing suppliers, purchase orders, quotations and delivery requirements.
Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of cost control and value-for-money principles.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage with suppliers and stakeholders at all levels.
Strong organisational and time-management skills, with excellent attention to detail.
Experience using ERP and procurement systems.
Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
A proactive approach to problem-solving, with the ability to identify and resolve supply chain issues before they impact operations.