Purchasing Assistant jobs
Helping to keep company expenditure to an absolute minimum whilst ensuring delivery of orders on time are the main tasks of the purchasing assistant. As the name suggests, they might be working alongside purchasing managers or heads of procurement, and might be streamed into specific parts of the procurement operation, for example dealing with certain countries or certain materials, depending upon their expertise.
The role will involve a good deal of administration work too, as distinct from the work done by the more supplier-facing buyers. The purchasing assistant will usually need to collect the data on procurement quite regularly in order to keep on top of the reporting effort and maintain complete control over budgets and forecasts.
There could be some contact with suppliers in the job, perhaps chasing up invoices or keeping in communication to ensure things are running smoothly and that no issues threaten to jeopardise the constant supply should it be required by the employer.
The purchasing assistant is an important role in a procurement department, dealing with the paperwork and other admin work in order to allow the buyers to go about their work more efficiently.
The skills required
The buyers and purchasing management will be relying on the purchasing assistant to maintain a smoothly running procurement department, so independent-minded people who are able to work on their own initiative will be highly valued. They will need to understand the procurement process, and any specific knowledge of the sector that the position is in will certainly help, as it will increase the likelihood of awareness of specific documents and legal aspects of it.
The purchasing assistant may well have several or tens of buyers to process the work of, so they should be excellent at juggling many different sets of figures and lines of communication at once. The ability to collect and present information accurately will depend upon the purchasing assistant’s ability to communicate effectively, making this skill key to potential candidates.
Purchasing Assistant Jobs in Bognor Regis
Like most of the seaside resorts in the UK, Bognor Regis (originally simply called Bognor) started out as a self-sustaining fishing village that linked to market towns in the vicinity. The Victorian era saw a massive interest in the health benefits of “sea air” and bathing, and the traditional seaside resort that we know and love today was born. Bognor Regis had a particularly good time of it, becoming a regular haunt of the royals and their entourages, which rendered an air of exclusivity that the other resorts could only dream of. The railway came in the shape of a special branch in the London to Portsmouth line, and Bognor Regis started to attract visitors from without the aristocratic connections, and as time went on and workers’ rights became stronger and wages grew, the resort became a favourite of the holidaying working class.
Located 19 miles (30 km) to the east of Portsmouth, 23 miles (37 km) to the west of Brighton and 4 miles (7 km) south east of the cathedral city of Chichester, Bognor Regis is a relatively small town with a resident population of around 25,000. In the summer months, of course, this swells massively as tourists come to fill the hotels, B&Bs and the famous Butlin’s holiday camp. Many of its inhabitants will commute to the city or nearby towns for work, but the populace is economically active, which is why Purchasing Assistant jobs might sometimes come up in the town or the surrounding area.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
Cast UK was founded by logistics, procurement and supply chain specialists, 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.
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.
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 Purchasing Assistant for your business or find you a job as a Purchasing Assistant then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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