Senior Buyer jobs
From manufacturing to communications, retail to defence, transport to education - in just about every sector, there is a need for procurement professionals, and Senior Buyers play an important role in ensuring that goods are sourced on time and within budget.
Of course, every position is different, but in most cases, a Senior Buyer will be responsible for finding suppliers, negotiating contracts and seeking ways to reduce costs, improve quality and increase customer satisfaction.
The skills required
Anyone looking to take on a new role as a Senior Buyer should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the intricacies of the purchasing process, as well as the relevant laws and legislation.
Successful candidates should have good organisation and project management skills, while an ability to build relationships with suppliers and stakeholders is also vital. You should be a confident negotiator with a talent for communicating well with a wide range of people.
Knowledge of the various systems and software used within the procurement industry is recommended, as well as the Microsoft Office package - including Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
In most cases, a Senior Buyer will be in charge of a team. Therefore, a strong sense of leadership is a must. So is an ability to train, guide and motivate your team and deal with issues as they arise.
Senior Buyer Jobs in Oxford
The county town of Oxford and famous throughout the world for its university, Oxford is actually a thriving, self-contained city with a diversity of industries not directly related to its county status or education sector. It has been a successful city for so long that its architecture spans the millennia, and since much of the most important buildings were churches, it got the name “city of dreaming spires”.
Without doubt the university and its related activities (bars, cafes, hotels, shops, theatres etc.) is the key single employer of the city, and the university heritage also plays into its thriving tourism industry. All this contributes to the thriving nature of the city, which is busy all the year round.
But a major industry just to the south east of the city centre is car manufacturing, at the Cowley BMW plant, home of the new Mini. The plant used to be the Morris Motors plant during the First World War, and this attracted a railway and other communications to serve it. During World War Two the plant made training planes for the RAF. After the war mergers and acquisitions changed the company to BMC, then British Leyland, Austin Rover, the Rover Group and finally BMW (but locals still call the factory Morris’s).
With a thriving, ever changing population and various high-tech and heavy industries, Oxford often throws up Senior Buyer positions to help oil the wheels of commerce. It’s certainly an exciting place to live and work.
Popular locations
Search for Senior Buyer vacancies with Cast UK
Here at Cast UK, we have worked hard to become one of the UK's leading recruiters in the supply chain & Procurement sector. Our team of consultants have all held roles in these fields, giving them a good understanding of what makes the ideal candidate for a position.
In addition, our regional experts have specialist knowledge about the various parts of the country, and we will work with you to understand your objectives and help ensure your career is headed in the right direction.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Senior Buyer for your business or find you a job as a Senior Buyer then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
Contact us