Planner/Buyer

About the role: The Planner/Buyer is responsible for ensuring the timely and cost-effective supply of raw materials and components to support manufacturing operations. The role combines demand planning, inventory control, purchasing, and supplier coordination to maintain production continuity while optimising inventory levels, supplier performance, and overall supply chain efficiency. What you'll be doing: Demand Planning: Utilise customer forecasts and historical consumption trends, along with MRP outputs to accurately plan and purchase raw materials and supplies. Inventory Management: Maintain optimal inventory levels by monitoring stock levels, identifying slow-moving or obsolete inventory and implementing strategies to minimise excess inventory and stock outs. Purchase Order Management: Generate purchase orders based on demand forecasts and inventory levels, optimising container/transport capacity while ensuring timely delivery of materials to support production schedules. Supplier Management: Develop and maintain effective supplier relationships, monitor supplier performance, negotiate pricing and lead times where appropriate, and proactively resolve supply or quality issues. Cross-Functional Co-Ordination: Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, production, warehouse, and logistics teams to align material availability with production schedules and customer demand. Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvement, cost savings and efficiency gains within the supply chain function and implement appropriate measures for improvement. Data Analysis: Analyse supply chain data, including inventory levels, supplier performance, supplier capability, and demand trends to inform decision-making and improve overall supply chain performance. Compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, quality standards, and company policies in all supply chain activities. About you: 3 years planning, buying experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment Strong analytical skills, ability to interpret data and make informed decisions from a range of data sources Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with internal teams and external suppliers. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively to overcome obstacles Advanced excel skills and proficient in the use of other Microsoft Office products (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word). In depth knowledge of ERP/MRP systems experience.