Head of Buying jobs
As a departmental lead, Head of Buying is a role involving supporting, designing and implementing market-leading strategies.
With strong commercial acumen, this person will manage relationships with suppliers and oversee revenue and cost budgeting. Effective negotiation will ensure ROI and Head of Buyers will constantly be reviewing new sourcing opportunities as well as being involved in new product development. As a profit centre in its own right, the buying department is central to an organisation’s commercial gain.
A Head of Buying will have a multi-disciplinary role, looking after short, mid and long-term projects, chairing monthly divisional operational meetings and advising the business on key developments. The individual will typically work with other areas of the business to ensure individual brand objectives, as well as group objectives, are met.
The skills required
As an experienced manager, you will require at least 5 years’ proven track record of overseeing a team. Strong negotiation skills are mandatory, with experience of strategic purchasing.
An ability to lead, influence and coach others is vital for this role as well as the capability to work in a fast-moving, demanding environment that requires strong organisational skills. Highly numerate, IT literate and analytical, you will be someone who remains calm under pressure and be an adept communicator.
Flexibility is key as well as being self-driven, honest and capable of driving team member development. It’s important you are confident to challenge accepted ways of buying, and continually strive to innovate.
You will be an experienced project manager with excellent presentation skills and able to effectively report to all parts of the business, including company directors.
Head of Buying Jobs in Maidstone
The county town of Kent, Maidstone is situated on the River Medway and is just over 30 miles south-east of London. A bustling town with plenty of history and pretty public gardens, Maidstone is also an excellent option for those seeking Head of Buying positions.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area around Maidstone has been occupied since the Neolithic era, while the Romans and Normans also had settlements here. For much of the town's history, its economy relied on the river, which powered mills and served as a trade route.
By the 18th century, Maidstone had built up a number of industries, including stone quarrying, brewing and cloth making. Paper was also manufactured here and a technique for making wove paper was developed by James Whatman in 1740.
Today, Maidstone is a thriving community with plenty of retail space, restaurants and accommodation. It's also home to a number of large companies, such as KEF, which makes loudspeakers on the site of what was once a metalworking facility.
Maidstone is home to one of the largest office centres in the country. A significant amount of paper and package making is still carried out here and Aylesford is the largest paper recycling facility in Europe - it also manufactures newsprint.
In recent years, a number of tech and communications companies have also set up operations in Maidstone.
Popular locations
Search for Head of Buying opportunities with Cast UK
As market leading recruitment specialists for professional level buying roles across the sectors, Cast UK is committed to building long-term relationships with our clients, enabling us to understand their business models and the roles they are recruiting.
We get to know the personalities and objectives of each candidate; understanding what motivates them, and the appropriate cultural fit for them. This attention to detail means that we are able to make excellent matches between applicants and employers, making placements that are lasting and mutually rewarding.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Head of Buying role for your business or find you a job as Head of Buying, contact one of our consultant team on 0161 825 0825
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