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 Procurement 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.
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county on the south coast of England and over many centuries the strategic location of West Sussex has played a key part in history, defence and trade. West Sussex offers a wealth of interesting places to visit from historic West Sussex towns and cities such as Chichester, Arundel and Petworth to West Sussex coastal resorts including Worthing and Bognor Regis. A substantial part of the South Downs National Park is also located in West Sussex as are many West Sussex nature reserves and areas of outstanding natural beauty. West Sussex is also a great place to live and work, with a wide range of West Sussex industries and West Sussex businesses established in towns such as Crawley, Horsham, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill to the north of the county. Gatwick airport, one of the busiest in Europe, is a further benefit to businesses, residents and international visitors to West Sussex.
Famous people born in West Sussex: Harry Enfield, comedian and Percy Bysshe Shelley, poet, also born in West Sussex.
From world-renowned Medical and Diagnostic Technology companies, to major Pharmaceuticals and Industry Support services, West Sussex's Health and Life Sciences Cluster is booming. The country is home to over 90 diverse companies, contributing to the forefront of innovation in the Global Health and Life Sciences sector. A strong cluster has emerged in the county with collaboration between businesses, research and public health, facilitated by WSCC who is investing heavily in the growth of the sector. West Sussex provides a highly attractive offer for global and national businesses wanting to be in the forefront of innovation, in the heart of growth.
West Sussex is a great place to further your career in life sciences. If you are a looking for pharmaceutical jobs in West Sussex, scientific careers in West Sussex or want to discuss cell therapy, gene therapy, ATMP, medical device, technology, biotech or pharmaceutical job opportunities in West Sussex, give our Next Phase team a call. The West Sussex area is continuing to expand as a centre for jobs in science, process development, technology, software development, project management, informatics, quality, reg affairs and supply chain.
At Next Phase we help people find new jobs in life sciences across the UK, Europe and USA. This page lists some of the job opportunities in West Sussex, and if you give us a call we can also talk to you about other scientific jobs, pharmaceutical career opportunities and the latest updates in cell and gene therapy and ATMP development in the West Sussex area.
