About Us
We’re an established aerosol and liquid manufacturer with an £8 million turnover and a team of around 45 people. We’re looking for an experienced Purchasing Manager to take ownership of procurement across our supply chain and to lead a broader operational team spanning purchasing, stock, warehouse, and sales administration.
The Role
At its core, this role exists to place purchase orders and ensure the right stock is on site in time for production to meet customer requirements. You’ll own that process end to end — from sourcing and negotiating with suppliers through to making sure materials land on time, every time.
This is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the Directors, in line with our other senior managers. You’ll manage a cross-functional team and work closely with production, sales, and the wider office to keep everyone in the loop — strong, proactive communication is essential, as is the ability to refine and tighten up our existing processes rather than leave gaps for things to fall through.
You’ll manage:
- Stock Coordinator (who in turn manages pre-assemblies for production)
- Warehouse Picker
- Sales Administrators (who process customer orders)
On the purchasing side, we need someone who is strong at sourcing — finding new raw materials, components, and suppliers, getting quotes and samples, and making sound commercial and technical judgement calls. You’ll need a solid grasp of how raw materials, components, and packaging interact with our production process, specifications, and lead times, so that purchasing decisions hold up and stock arrives when it’s needed.
Key Responsibilities
Purchasing & Supply
- Place purchase orders and manage supply timing so materials are on site in time for production to meet customer requirements
- Proactively source new raw materials, components, and suppliers — including obtaining quotes and samples
- Negotiate pricing, terms, and contracts with suppliers, with a genuine focus on cost control and margin protection
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, balancing cost, quality, and reliability
- Apply technical/specification knowledge to purchasing decisions — what materials are fit for purpose, and why
Team Leadership & Communication
- Manage and develop the Stock Coordinator, Warehouse Picker, and Sales Administrators (with pre-assembly/labelling managed via the Stock Coordinator)
- Foster clear, proactive communication across the team and wider office so everyone stays in the loop on stock, orders, and supply issues
- Refine and tighten existing purchasing, stock, and order-processing procedures where gaps or inconsistencies show up
- Performance manage the team and resolve operational issues across stock, warehouse, and order processing
- Report directly to the Directors on procurement performance, team performance, and supply chain risk
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience in a procurement/purchasing management role, ideally within manufacturing
- A genuine track record of sourcing new suppliers and components — not just managing existing supplier accounts
- Demonstrable experience managing and developing a team of 5 or more, across mixed functions
- Strong technical understanding of materials/specifications relevant to manufacturing (chemicals, packaging, or components)
- Confident, capable negotiator with a clear focus on commercial outcomes
- A naturally collaborative communicator who keeps colleagues informed
- Comfortable working within and refining existing purchasing/stock systems
Pay: £35,000.00-£52,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Only applicants located within 45 minutes of Pocklington will be considered
Experience:
- Purchasing: 1 year (required)
- Team management: 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
