Operational Buyer

Play a key role in maintaining continuous supply of high-quality materials, enabling us to continue delivering award-winning products to our customers.

Our Operational Buyer supports the Procurement Manager in delivering and setting the purchasing and procurement policy, and works in a 'hands-on' capacity to ensure continuity of supply of materials.

Day to day, the Operational Buyer will:

1. Minimise the risk to the Company’s brand, reputation and performance through awareness of product quality, cost, availability and stock holding.
2. Schedule the supply of materials to meet production requirements and minimum safety stock levels, assessing volume requirements against planning assumptions.
3. Handle day-to-day PO order management and management of deliveries using Netsuite MRP software.
4. Set up & source new materials as a key member of the new product development team.
5. Handle non-conformance management for materials liaising with QC, the supplier and stakeholders.
6. Develop and maintain good relationships with suppliers through review meetings, ensuring demand for materials is met, value-added services are gained and business forecasts and plans are communicated.
7. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to forecast, plan and facilitate on-time materials to the production line.
8. Resolve supplier concerns and evaluate supplier performance.
9. Ensure full supplier compliance in line with contractual obligations, policies, and legislative requirements.
10. Support the Procurement Manager with sourcing exercises and category plans including assisting with benchmarking.
11. Review product costs and source alternative supply to achieve cost savings & maintain availability.
12. Review PPV (Purchase Price Variance) with a view to balance price increases with reductions in other areas.

The Operational Buyer will need:

1. Previous experience of supply and demand planning and forecasting, ideally in FMCG manufacturing environment.
2. Knowledge and experience of using MRP (Material Requirements Planning) systems.
3. Strong IT systems knowledge and skills, including Excel.
4. Good interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to form and maintain good relationships internally and externally.
5. Good understanding of supply chain processes and their interdependencies.
6. Understanding of supplier relationships and some experience of working with suppliers.
7. Commercial and financial awareness with a full understanding of how failure impacts the costs, production, manufacture and customer order fulfilment.
8. Results-orientated and organised mindset, with the ability to plan and deliver against deadlines.
9. Strong analytical, planning and problem-solving skills.

Neal's Yard Remedies are partnering with Cogito on this recruitment. Upon receipt of your application, a member of the Cogito team will be in contact to discuss next steps.