Role: Head of Purchasing – PPE & Workplace Safety
Location: West Midlands
Salary: Competitive basic & benefits
Do you have a background in purchasing, procurement or buying? If so this Head of Purchasing role could be just for you.
Our client is one of the UK’s leading PPE & Workplace Safety suppliers to wholesaler clients. We all know what PPE means, but to our client it also means; passion, personality & energy!
Reporting to the MD and operating as part of the Senior Leadership Team of the business, this role has overall responsibility for the purchase of goods from a range of suppliers across the world.
A good knowledge of the market and the continuous development of new and innovative products are key to success in this role, as is the monitoring of stock levels to ensure they always have the right quantity of products available at the right price. The role also involves the management and development of a small team.
They are going through major growth and change with lots more planned over the coming years. We are working with them to bring in an exceptional Head of Purchasing to join them on their journey.
What you’ll do
- Purchasing of PPE goods from a range of suppliers, located world-wide.
- Building and maintaining good working relationships with suppliers, to ensure business continuity and best pricing.
- Negotiating and reviewing supplier pricing to ensure the company receives maximum value.
- Ensuring legal compliance is maintained, using a sound technical knowledge of PPE products.
- Ensuring the correct certification is in place as necessary, working with testing houses as required.
- Ensuring all packaging is compliant and meets customer needs.
- Managing a continuous cycle of new product development projects, working closely with the sales team to ensure the product range keeps up with trends in the industry.
- Monitoring competitor activity to ensure the range continues to meet market demands.
- Managing the end to end process from concept to getting the product to market.
- Understanding of the importance of maintaining the correct stock levels.
- Understanding the financial implications of purchasing, working closely with the Head of Finance on this.
- Negotiating payment terms with suppliers to protect company cash flow.
- Gaining an understanding of existing customer needs to ensure supply levels are correct.
- Working closely with the Operations Manager on logistics and supply chain matters.
- Reporting on the activity of the purchasing team to relevant stakeholders, as required.
What you’ll need
- Good working knowledge of the PPE industry and products.
- Previous experience of developing new products and taking them to market.
- Good technical knowledge of PPE products and associated legislation and certification.
- Proven ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with suppliers across the world.
- Ability to travel to supplier sites around the world, as required.
- Ability to operate at Leadership Team level and to work closely, as a team, with your peers.
- Good understanding of stock control and the maintenance of accurate stock levels, including the financial aspects of this.
- Good working knowledge of MS Office (particularly Excel).
- Proven negotiating skills.
- Previous experience of managing and developing a team of people.
