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 Brighton
A seaside city on the south coast, Brighton is an energetic location known for its friendly atmosphere, pebble beaches, buzzing nightlife and quirky charm.
It has long been a favourite weekend getaway for Londoners seeking a bit of sunshine and sea air and in 1787 the Prince of Wales set up his holiday home here, creating an extravagant building now known as the Royal Pavilion.
The tourism industry further increased when the London and Brighton Railway arrived in 1841, making day trips easy between the resort and the capital.
Of course, there's far more to Brighton than the social scene and those seeking Purchasing Assistant vacancies will have a good range of options to consider.
The city's economy, which was mainly based in manufacturing and engineering during the 19th century, has been transformed over the last 30 years. These days, Brighton is home to a number of businesses based in digital media - Like FDM and Semantio - and it has earned itself the nickname Silicon Beach.
Financial giant American Express has its European headquarters in Brighton and employs thousands of people in the city centre.
Cosmetics company The Body Shop was founded here in 1976; it is now part of the L'Oreal group and is now based in nearby Littlehampton.
In addition, Brighton is home to two large universities, a number of tourist spots, various retail centres and the UK's second largest arts festival, which occurs every May.
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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