Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! Please see below our current jobs that match your search criteria. For a broader job search please visit the home page or call us on 01403 216216 to discuss career options in other areas of Life Science and Technology.

Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! Please use the above link to see our current jobs that match your search criteria. For a broader job search please visit the home page or call us on 01403 216216 to discuss career options in other areas of Life Science and Technology.

Purchasing Manager (Procurement Manager)

A Purchasing Manager is responsible for ensuring that a company has a clear purchasing and procurement strategy when purchasing goods so that they meet budgetary and other operational requirements of the company and that this buying strategy is adhered to.  Some companies require suppliers to meet certain standards such as ISO accreditation and the Purchasing Manager will be responsible for ensuring that suppliers meet these requirements from a Procurement perspective and an Ethical Compliance perspective.

Typical day to day tasks undertaken by a Procurement Manager might include producing tenders, forecasting future business needs (Opex or Capex) by liaising with internal colleagues, researching potential suppliers, supplier onboarding, developing and maintaining relationships with key suppliers, monitoring the timely delivery of products and services and ensuring all projects meet financial, legal and regulatory compliance.  If the Purchasing Manager has a team of staff, she/he will also need to manage, motivate and support the team. 

Skills & Experience Required for a Career in Purchasing

  • A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject such as science, business, project management or supply chain 
  • An additional professional qualification from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply would be helpful
  • Good working knowledge of Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems, for either Capital Expenditure (Capex) or Operational Expenditure (OpEx) and strong general IT skills.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to communicate with influence colleagues, clients and suppliers
  • Good negotiating skills to achieve the best price from suppliers.
  • Understanding of OpEx / Capex budget management processes

Salary Levels/Career Progression

Although a degree and several years’ experience would typically be required for a Procurement or Purchasing manager position, there are opportunities for non-graduates to have a career in Procurement or Purchasing.   Typical entry level roles might include Buyer’s Assistant, Junior Buyer, Buyer, Purchasing Assistant or Procurement Assistant.

A Purchasing Manager in a large organisation may have the opportunity to progress to roles such as Head Buyer, Head of Procurement, Director of Procurement and Purchasing or similar.  Salaries of a typical Procurement Manager start in the region of £45k upward dependent on the size of the organisation and location.

 

Oxford, Oxfordshire

Oxford, known as “The City of Dreaming Spires”, is a beautiful and historic city in southeast England approximately 60 miles from London, 65 from Birmingham, 70 from Birmingham and 25 from Reading.   Oxford University, founded in the 12th century, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and has frequently been ranked as the top university in the world.  The Oxford Science Park, which is owned and managed by Magdalen College, is home to many science and technology businesses and Oxford enjoys a growing reputation as a centre of digital innovation.  The stunning architecture, world class museums and attractive riverside setting make Oxford a major destination for tourists from around the world and a popular location for films and TV series.

Famous people born in Oxford:  Hugh Laurie, Actor and Tim Henman, tennis player

Oxford is a major site for biotechnology, rare disease, ATMP, cell therapy, gene therapy and pharmaceutical development. It houses a number of university spin-out businesses, start-up biotechs and other organisations attracting seed investment. If you are looking for career opportunities in life sciences within the Oxford area, call the Next Phase Recruitment team on 01403 216216.