Lead Buyer jobs
The lead buyer in a manufacturing company is a role that comes with huge responsibility. He or she will need to ensure the steady flow of raw materials, components or other critical materials reaches the factory floor to create a seamless, endless supply, ensuring there is never any downtime through lack of availability. This will mean keeping an eye on several strands at once, such as warehouse levels (making sure they are not too high as well as too low), availability on the market of the materials in question and the expected capacity and productivity of the factory (especially where seasonal effects are present).
They will also be in charge of keeping the costs as low as possible, so the job will involve a good deal of making contact with suppliers and potential suppliers in order to strike deals with them. The lead buyer will usually have a set budget and keeping within it will sometimes require a good deal of creativity, thinking on one’s feet and negotiation.
Many lead buyers will head up a department of junior buyers or buyers of certain categories of supplies, so management skills will be required, rounding off a set of abilities that combine to make the lead buyer one of the key employees of a manufacturing enterprise. The sway the lead buyer holds of the company’s profits cannot be overestimated, and for this reason lead buyers will be drawn from candidates with excellent experience of buying, preferably at a managerial level.
The skills required
Successful lead buyers will be people who can absorb themselves entirely into the operation of a manufacturing company. They will need to be able to know exactly what supplies need to come in through the factory gates at any time and how much they cost – and they will have a hand in determining these facts too. They will be expected to hit the ground running and make a positive change to the company from day one, sourcing materials and goods, driving down costs and arranging timely delivery.
Needless to say, this is a role that will suit not only people who can handle pressure, but also those who thrive on it. When overseeing a team of buyers, it’s important to deal with them in a courteous and positive manner even when things aren’t running to plan.
Superb communication and management skills will round up the competencies required of the lead buyer. It’s a role not everyone will be able to rise to, even those with extensive procurement experience. There will definitely need to be the instinct to make things happen and to act on it.
Lead Buyer Jobs in Barnsley
Barnsley is a town of about 75,000 population in South Yorkshire. Roughly speaking it would be the centre point of a circle that passed though Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster and Huddersfield, each of which is about 14 miles (25 km) away. To its south west is the beautiful Peak District National Park. Barnsley is served by the M1 running north-south, as well as the Sheffield to Leeds railway.
Barnsley was originally a market town and also traveller’s rest location for people moving to and from Leeds and Sheffield, but the discovery of coal and the Industrial Revolution turned it into a powerhouse of productivity. The Barnsley Canal was completed at the start of the nineteenth century, and although it was closed in the mid-20th century (partly due to subsidence from mining, ironically), there is a campaign to get it fixed, dredged and reopened for recreation. Much of the heavy industry has now gone, although one of its specialisms, glassmaking, remains active. A glassblower and a miner appear on Barnsley’s coat of arms.
The town has given us a number of famous people, particularly in sport. Cricket without Dickie Bird and Darren Gough would not be quite the same, and football was made a little more colourful by Mick McCarthey. Perhaps the most famous child of Barnsley, though, is chat show host to the stars of the 70s and 80s, Michael Parkinson.
While Barnsley’s industrial base is a shadow of its former self, it is still possible to find Lead Buyer positions in the town. It has a sizeable population and serves a wide area, with no other major settlements closer than the cities of Sheffield and Leeds.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
Cast UK have jobs all over the UK, so we are well placed to find you work in logistics, procurement or supply chain wherever you are located or plan to locate. If you’re moving house, please see if there are any positions available in the area you’re moving to; and if you’re simply looking for more fulfilment in your working life, there could be an employer looking for the skills you have.
We were founded by specialists in the fields, and our consultants are all from these backgrounds too, so we have in-depth knowledge of what employers and candidates are looking for. Employers come to us to find candidates because they’re confident that we’ll help them find the most appropriate managers and executives.
When we have your details, we’ll be able to start matching you with positions as soon as they arise, so do get in touch if you’re looking for a job in procurement.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Lead Buyer for your business or find you a job as a Lead Buyer then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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