Indirect Purchasing Manager jobs
While procurement costs of the raw materials and goods are a vital factor in a company’s profitability, so are the auxiliary costs – things like office space, security and administration. Many businesses now actively set about procuring these services with as much vigour for economy as they do for their ongoing, vital costs, and in larger operations the procurement effort is actually split into two: direct and indirect procurement.
The indirect purchasing manager will either be in charge of these purchases personally or will head up a department of staff who will be tasked with seeking out better deals for their companies’ running costs. In many ways, these costs are just as important as the direct costs, as they all add to the company’s expenditure and their reduction is clearly beneficial. However, it’s also a set of costs that are all too often overlooked; most companies would rather spend more on their office space than go through all the hassle of relocating. Part of the indirect purchasing manager’s job will be communicating benefits clearly to senior management, as fast action could result in massive savings.
The job will also require a good deal of ongoing analysis of costs both within their own company and in the market in general, which will help to identify trends and increase the ability to spot good deals when they arise.
The skills required
The indirect purchasing manager will be constantly analysing figures to seek out economies, so great analytical skills will be required to make the job work. Much of this part of the job will be carried out using specialist software solutions, so an above average aptitude with a range of popular accounting and procurement solutions will be advantageous. There will also be a good deal of report-writing to keep head office informed of the state of play, so good communication skills and word processing ability will be highly valued.
If the indirect purchasing manager is in charge of a department, people management skills will be required, preferably with a proven track record of managing a team of people. On the other hand, if the manager is himself or herself in charge of the whole operation, they will need to be a motivated self-starter, able to do the job effectively with minimal contact with head office.
Indirect Purchasing Manager Jobs in Aylesbury
The county town of Buckinghamshire is Buckingham, right? Wrong. It's actually Aylesbury, a town about as close to the centre of the county as it's possible to be. It is roughly in the centre of a circle formed by London 33 miles (53 km) to the south east, Stevenage, Bedford, Northampton, Banbury, Oxford and Slough, going anticlockwise.
The town was traditionally a market town, where the surrounding farms and traders from more distant towns would congregate to sell their wares. Aylesbury still has a market four times a week, but this is by no means its main business. The town did have a strong milling industry until the mid-1800s, and it was the home to some food-related industry until quite recently, but nowadays its main employers are retailers and small businesses, as well as entertainment and the concentration of local government that accompanies any county town. Although Aylesbury was never a formal New Town, it did get redeveloped after the war, with displaced Londoners moving in and the old town being largely demolished to make way for new business properties.
Aylesbury is right in amongst the commuter belt for London, and houses a reasonably economically active population of around 70,000. The north west of the town is dominated by a large industrial estate with light and medium industry, retail and car showrooms. The town's diverse and largely affluent population, modern infrastructure and a decent amount of industry mean that Indirect Purchasing Manager jobs are often being created in Aylesbury, so please get in touch if you are in the area and seeking such work.
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Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
Cast UK were founded by specialists in logistics, supply chain and procurement, and our consultants are also drawn from these backgrounds, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for when they come to us. In fact, employers often approach us to find managerial and executive candidates before they are advertised, so if you’re in procurement, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
Whether you’re relocating for personal reasons or are simply looking for more job fulfilment, there could well be an employer who’s looking for the skills you have. At any given time, Cast UK have jobs all over the UK, so wherever you live, or plan to live, we are well placed to find work that suits your skills.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit an Indirect Purchasing Manager for your business or find you a job as an Indirect Purchasing Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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