Assistant Buyer

Location: Office based, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm
Salary: Up to £29,000 per year, depending on experience
Bonus: 5% annual bonus

About the Role

We are looking for a proactive and detail-focused Assistant Buyer to join our Purchasing team. This is a key role supporting the smooth running of purchasing operations, supplier performance, MRP requirements, customer-supplied materials, indirect procurement and purchasing administration.

The successful candidate will act as an ambassador for our vision and values, demonstrating a professional and consistent approach when working with suppliers, customers and internal stakeholders across the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and raise purchase orders and order schedules in line with MRP requirements for raw materials, packaging and indirect goods.
• Support the Buyer and Senior Buyer with scheduling key materials, packaging components and indirect procurement projects.
• Take ownership of customer-supplied MRP, ensuring information is accurate, approved and updated in time to support production.
• Liaise with suppliers, customers and internal teams including Planning, Sales, Warehouse, Operations, Quality and Accounts.
• Proactively manage the purchasing inbox, order confirmations, price or material changes and outstanding orders.
• Maintain accurate order statuses in Solvitt so that the Planning team has clear and up-to-date supply information.
• Manage supplier order trackers, challenge delays and escalate supply risks where required.
• Own OTIF reporting across the top 30 supply chain, using delay codes to capture accurate reasons for delay.
• Support suppliers to meet agreed OTIF targets and raise service-provider non-conformances where required.
• Gather supplier performance data, produce dashboards and support continuous improvement across the supply chain.
• Use PPV and LD codes accurately to capture root-cause information relating to purchase orders, price changes and delays.
• Manage invoice queries with Accounts and suppliers, resolving issues relating to price, delivery, quality or order discrepancies.
• Own the consumables purchasing process and support efficiency improvements in this area.
• Support the Quality team with material or packaging non-conformances and track supplier responses.
• Source and re-source materials from the approved supply base to support continuity of supply and value for money.
• Ensure new suppliers follow the Bee Health supplier approval process.
• Track and report cost-saving activity and support procurement cost-down initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies, procedures, health and safety requirements, and relevant legislation including the UK Anti-Bribery Act.
• Support the development of the Purchasing Team ESG process, including supplier scoring and maintaining up-to-date information.

About You

We are looking for someone who is organised, commercially aware and confident working with data, suppliers and internal stakeholders. You will be comfortable managing a varied workload, challenging issues where appropriate and supporting business-critical purchasing activity.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and system integrity.
• Good analytical, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Confident building relationships with suppliers, customers and colleagues across different departments.
• Highly organised, with strong time-management skills and the ability to prioritise effectively.
• Motivated self-starter who can work on their own initiative as well as part of a team.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; ERP or MRP system experience would be advantageous.
• Able to handle sensitive or challenging situations professionally.
• Resilient under pressure and able to work to time-critical deadlines.
• Understanding of equality, diversity and professional workplace standards.

What We Offer

• Office-based role, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
• Salary up to £29,000 per year, depending on experience.
• 5% annual bonus.
• The opportunity to develop within a busy purchasing function and work closely with suppliers and teams across the business.

Apply Now

If you are a proactive and organised individual with strong communication skills and an interest in purchasing and supply chain, we would like to hear from you.