The role requires working with the company’s supplier base to ensure an efficient and cost-effective supply of products, materials, and services ensuring all agreed terms including quality, budget, and delivery lead times are achieved. I am developing relationships and carrying out site visits with key suppliers when required and reducing expenditure by negotiating.Raising of purchase/subcontract orders and ensuring purchase system records are accurate and maintained, resolving any discrepancies on orders, invoices and specifications as they arise, liaising with finance & suppliers as necessary whilst timely reporting and expediting of delivery status.I am involved in the development and implementation of cost savings and process improvement initiatives where possible and the management of all associated purchasing administration to underpin cost control and financial procedures.Cross department working is required; closely liaising with stores department to ensure the provision of all raw materials and production consumables are in place to meet business requirements.I have just completed and passed an ILM 3 Leadership and Management apprenticeship and as part of this course I was involved in a project to maintain the supplier database records. Due to the results of this project, I was recently asked to become part of a new MRP project team formed by the Directors to assist the company in moving forward and utilising the MRP system for our production needs. This is ongoing, we are in the early stages, but due to my past experiences and knowledge I am on the team to guide and provide insights into how we can improve our system usage and in lie with this the efficiency of production.

Working in purchasing and production I quickly developed an understanding for the company’s bespoke MRP system. Obtaining consumables, liaising with suppliers on delivery schedules to assist with the build timescales, obtaining quotes, progressed all outstanding orders and updating the system. Responsible for obtaining data to produce routings, release manufacturing orders including those for the foundry adhering to the managers load capacity requests, and progress through the plant. Instrumental in the development and implementation of two Kardex systems and the PPG software, plus providing training to employees. Involved in the restructuring of the kitting and processing/managing of the seal kit work centre in the warehouse. Becoming temporary warehouse manager supervising the receiving, safe warehousing and distribution of goods to and from the factory and managing 19 personnel across three shifts, vehicles and other operational equipment. Responsible for all warehouse administration functions whilst ensuring company work procedures and policies are always followed. During the IFS Implementation I became a superuser for the purchasing department collaborating and collectively working with all departments, as well as working alone, towards implementing the software through the whole company, sister sites too. Maintaining the supply chain for six intercompany sites in the USA, Singapore, China, the Netherlands, Australia and Russia. Responsible for all front-end activities, adding transfer requests/orders, checking lead times, liaising with various stakeholders including sales, commercial, estimating, purchasing and accounting. Liaising with the engineering manager/engineers for technical queries. Planning delivery schedules according to stock levels and working with purchasing and production to progressing parts to be ahead of an issue as it may arise. To the end activities to ensure all deliveries were completed as required and assist if needed.

Liaising with suppliers all over the U.K. in person, by email or on the phone to coordinate the timely collection and processing of stocks. Proactively identifying, researching and developing new suppliers.Assisting with inspection preparation and arranging training if required whilst keeping myself and the suppliers up to date with all and any new guidelines. Checking all licences and bona fides of current and new suppliers to keep without the regulations.I also attended the MHRA regulatory conference every year to feed back all the new legislation to the suppliers and assist them to keep within the guidelines set.

Through promotion I gained this role where the core responsibilities of this role were to manage over 120 customer’s queries and requests whilst actively being the sole purchaser for the department. My main responsibility was the management of the service and spares which included estimating and producing quotations, reading and understanding engineer drawings from 2D archived drawings to 3D CAD, issuing Bills of Material for manufacture, project management, organising engineering site visits, compiling job reports of the costs involved and issuing customer invoices for payment. I had overall responsibility of over £150K worth of rolling stock and also providing annual sales reports with detailed customer spend analysis. The procurement element meant I was liaising with suppliers and negotiating the best deal, utilising the current supplier base and sourcing new suppliers when the need arose, ensuring scheduled deliveries are kept suiting machine build timescales, producing purchase orders for parts and materials, obtain quotations and placing orders whilst providing cost reports. I also managed all import and exports from all around the world including Russia, America, China and Europe. This included the small airfreight courier shipments to the crate/container/full wagon load machine shipments. I was involved in preparing the necessary paperwork for each shipment, in compliance with HMRC and obtaining the correct certificates etc. I coordinated and organised the field engineers across the world for service and breakdown issues. I had within my remit 6 field engineers, 2 packing operatives and 2 delivery drivers of whom I could call upon to fulfil the customer commitments. In addition, I personally increased the department’s turnover from £500K to £1 Million whilst also maintaining a healthy profit margin. I was also a trained first aider and regularly attended the Health and Safety Committee meetings.

Starting at the company on a Business Administration apprenticeship I quickly moved from the office junior to one of the three buyers within the company. My main focus was the procurement of all the electrical parts for the company from fuses to PLC drive units and systems. I was also involved in the purchase of all raw materials for the in-house manufacturing departments. I would liaise with suppliers and negotiated discounts and ensure scheduled deliveries are kept to suit machine build timescales. The role also required I obtain quotations, assist in supplier selection and progressing orders The role also required the typing and filing of purchase requisitions, faxes, enquiries and memorandums and cover on the reception when needed. I was also expected to answer the telephone in a nice, polite manner and helping customers/suppliers with any queries quickly and effectively.