Overview
The Purchasing Administrator supports the procurement function by handling day‑to‑day purchasing activities, maintaining accurate records, coordinating with suppliers, and ensuring the timely delivery of materials required for the manufacture, restoration, and servicing of traditional and heritage lighting products.
This role is essential for maintaining smooth production workflows, especially in a heritage environment where materials may involve bespoke castings, specialist glass work, traditional metal components, and electrical parts with long lead times.
Key Responsibilities
1. Purchase Order Administration
- Create and issue purchase orders based on production requirements, project schedules, and stock levels.
- Confirm order acknowledgements, lead times, and delivery dates with suppliers.
- Track open purchase orders and follow up on overdue items.
2. Supplier Coordination
- Communicate daily with suppliers regarding pricing, availability, delivery, and documentation.
- Assist in sourcing alternative suppliers for specialist heritage components when required.
- Maintain up‑to‑date supplier records, certifications, and contact information.
3. Inventory & Stock Support
- Monitor stock levels and flag low‑inventory items to the Production Manager.
- Update inventory systems with received goods, ensuring accuracy in descriptions, quantities, and batch/heritage traceability.
- Support stock‑takes and help identify discrepancies.
4. Documentation & Record Keeping
- Maintain organised purchasing files including POs, invoices, delivery notes, certificates of conformity, and heritage material authentication documents.
- Ensure all purchased items meet compliance and quality requirements before processing.
- Support preparation of data for audits, quality checks, and project documentation packs.
5. Production & Project Coordination
- Work closely with the Production team to understand upcoming material requirements for manufacturing and restoration jobs.
- Communicate potential delays or shortages and assist in implementing contingency options.
- Support quotation processes by providing updated material costs and lead time information.
6. Finance & Administrative Support
- Match invoices with POs and delivery notes, flag discrepancies, and liaise with accounts for resolution.
- Assist with cost tracking for projects.
- Maintain and update purchasing spreadsheets, logs, and databases.
- Coordinate despatch of finished orders to clients.
Skills & Experience Required
- Previous experience in purchasing, administration, or supply chain support.
- Strong organisational and record‑keeping skills.
- Confidence communicating with suppliers.
- Proficiency with Excel and purchasing/ERP systems.
- Ability to read and understand basic technical descriptions or drawings (advantageous).
- Experience in manufacturing, engineering, or heritage industries is desirable but not essential.
Personal Attributes
- Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
- Calm, proactive, and able to multitask in a fast‑moving production environment.
- Good communicator with a collaborative mindset.
- Appreciation for craftsmanship and the heritage context of the business.
Pay: £26,000.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
