99 Assistant Buyer jobs in the United Kingdom

Assistant Buyer

Location: Walsall, WS1 4NN

Salary: Up to £30,000 p/a (DOE)

Start Date: ASAP

Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time (40 hours per week)

Red Sky Personnel, on behalf of our client, is recruiting an Assistant Buyer to join a leading civil engineering and infrastructure specialist.

You'll support nationwide delivery teams by providing a professional, compliant material supply service, working closely with internal departments, suppliers, and trade bodies to achieve best value. The role also plays a key part in supporting the company's Social Impact and Sustainability objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Buying & Procurement

• Purchase construction materials and related services across operational sectors.
• Source suppliers, evaluate quotations, negotiate prices, and manage logistics.
• Monitor market trends and supply chain innovations.
• Provide commercial support on procurement contracts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with sites and supply chain partners.
• Ensure procurement complies with company policies and audit standards.

Administration & Reporting

• Maintain accurate order and supplier records.
• Produce reports, KPIs, and data as required.
• Provide analysis to procurement and project teams for approval.

Accountability

• Operate within financial governance levels.
• Manage workload priorities and improve efficiency.
• Maintain positive supplier relationships.
• Adhere to procurement procedures at all times.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Previous experience in a procurement role, ideally within Rail, Construction, or Engineering.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to build long-term supplier relationships.
• Commercial awareness with budget management experience.
• Confident communicator with excellent telephone manner.
• IT literate, with strong Microsoft Office knowledge and purchasing systems experience.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
• Strong initiative and team-working skills.

Desirable

• CIPS qualification (or working towards).
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience.
• Full UK driving licence.

Benefits

• Company pension & life assurance
• Private medical insurance
• Profit share scheme
• 25 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays + loyalty days
• 8 hours paid volunteering leave
• Employee Assistance Programme (mental, physical, financial wellbeing)
• Flexible benefits via salary sacrifice
• Company car/green car scheme/car allowance/van (depending on role)
• Leadership & management training and coaching
• Ongoing professional development and career progression
• Continuous service awards

If you would like to hear more about this opportunity please apply now!

Assistant Buyer - Construction experience - Walsall

The Role

As an assistant buyer, you will be responsible for providing our nationwide delivery teams with a company-compliant professional material supply service whilst working with and supporting other business needs.

You will be communicating with internal business units, external suppliers, trade bodies and associations to achieve the best value on goods and services whilst being mindful of where materials are coming from within the supply chain, and ensuring the company continues to source ethically and sustainably.

The successful candidate will be joining a team which is at the forefront of developing the company's Social Impact and Sustainability objectives, giving you a great opportunity to play a key role in enforcing those goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Buying Tasks

• Procuring construction materials and related services across all operational sectors.
• Carrying out supplier selection, evaluating quotations, and negotiating prices and logistics.
• Proactively identifying market trends, product and industry developments and supply chain innovations through the engagement of external partners, leading as directed by the Procurement Manager on any specific commodity or category.
• Providing commercial assistance on the contracts you are procuring for.
• Liaising with sites and supply chain partners, developing relationships to ensure a planned "right-first-time" service is provided regarding safety, quality, programme, commercial aspects, and overall best value.
• Working with and supporting internal business needs regarding commercial and product awareness at all stages of the construction process, ensuring that we jointly deliver major programme requirements.
• Ensuring continuous communication with other team members to review contract progress and address associated issues immediately.
• Maintaining full knowledge and understanding of purchasing strategy and processes to ensure a professional and auditable procurement contract is in place.

Accountabilities

• Operating within financial governance levels
• Managing work priorities and maximising efficiencies
• Maintaining positive supplier relationships
• Adherence to procurement procedures

Administrative responsibilities

• Maintenance and upkeep of order and supply chain records utilising the company's purchase order system and procedures.
• Providing reports, data, and other material identified by the Procurement Manager relating to the department and whole business requirements, including KPIs.
• Submitting detailed analysis to procurement and project teams for approval in line with governance.

Key measures & targets:

• To provide evidence of best value regarding procurement, which may include commercial betterment, quality, and efficiency.
• To evidence supply chain engagement, including performance management under company objectives.

Key relationships:

• Procurement Manager / Supply Chain Manager / Senior Buyer / External Hire Desk Manager, and all levels of procurement personnel in both the central and regional teams
• All internal departments, including site operations, HSEQ, estimating, accounts and business development.
• External supply chain partners

Essential

• Relevant experience in a similar role, ideally within the Rail or construction/engineering industry
• Experienced negotiator, with the ability to establish long-term relationships and an engaged, collaborative supply chain
• Demonstrable commercial awareness, with the ability to control and monitor budgets
• Finely tuned communication skills regarding engaging with external and internal parties, including a confident and professional telephone manner
• Excellent computer literacy with experience using Microsoft Office packages
• In-house purchasing systems.
• Ability to cope with a demanding, fast-paced environment, ensuring deadlines are met
• Ability to make decisions using own initiative and work as part of a team

Desireable

• CIPS qualification or working towards CIPS
• Relevant degree or equivalent/or qualified by experience (QBE)
• A full UK driving licence

We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Junior Buyer to join our team. This role is essential in ensuring the smooth operation of procurement processes, supporting both daily administrative tasks and strategic procurement activities. The successful candidate will work closely with the buying and commercial team, suppliers, and site teams to maintain efficiency, compliance, and accuracy across all procurement functions.

Balfour Beatty Site: Balfour Beatty homes Kettering
Location: Balfour Beatty Homes Kitteon House Kettering Parkway
Kettering NN15 6XW

The ideal candidate should have experience in the housebuilding sector and be confident in handling the following responsibilities:

Raising ad hoc purchase orders
Processing and coding invoices
Managing day-to-day buying queries related to housebuilding
Supporting the commercial team with order raising, payment processing, and invoice queries
It's important that the candidate is able to hit the ground running, so prior experience in a similar environment is essential.

Below is a more extensive list of requirement of what the job will entail.

Daily Tasks
Process invoices
Process one-off (adhoc) orders
Work with the commercial team to process payments
Filing of orders /quotes/ requestions
Weekly Tasks
Order consumables
Manage and update plant hire reports
Arrange for Approval and sign off of orders
Review balance of orders
Monthly Tasks
Report on CVR comments
Prepare the insolvency watchlist
Maintain 3rd party due diligence checks on suppliers
As Required / Ongoing
Conduct root cause analysis when needed
Follow up on third-party delays
Perform simple quantity takeoffs
Review technical drawings
Communicate with site teams to resolve issues
Issue order complete notices once balance has been exhausted to the suppliers.
Prelim extensions mobilize/ de-mobilize.

Please call Harry Sharrard at Anderselite for information on (phone number removed), or via LinkedIn.

Assistant Buyer

The Assistant Buyer is responsible for the procurement process for Morris & Spottiswood projects and other Group companies as necessary. This includes placing and expediting orders for site teams and offices. This role involves ensuring that all purchases made for sites and offices are through approved suppliers where these are in place and that all spend represents best value for the business. The role is responsible for ensuring that relevant information is provided by the suppliers in relation to sustainability and responsible sourcing to support reporting both internally and to our clients.

Key Responsibilities:

Placing / Expediting Orders:

• Ensuring that all material requisitions are placed in a timely manner in line with requestor requirements.
• Ensure that purchases are made through approved / appropriate suppliers particularly for core categories.
• Acting as the primary point of contact for suppliers.
• Ensuring that relevant processes and procedures are followed to leave an audit trail of requests and orders.
• Dealing with invoice/order queries to ensure that payment can be made in line with agreed payment terms.

Sustainable Procurement:

• Ensure that all materials and services procured by Morris & Spottiswood meet the requirements of the business and our clients.
• Ensure that sustainable information is gathered and maintained for all core products.

General Administration:

• General tasks related to fleet management across the Group including logging changes in driver / vehicle on central register/portal.
• Providing information to Management Accountant to ensure up to date information is shared on insurance database.
• Monitoring daily checks register and flagging issues to Category Manager for resolution.
• General tasks related to plant asset management across the Group including logging changes in owner / site location for tools on central asset register.
• Monitoring weekly checks register and flagging issues to Category Manager for resolution.

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Strong organisational skills with an ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt to changing priorities.
• Proficiency in ERP systems, databases, and Microsoft Office applications.

Buyer

Active Tunnelling Ltd are one of the industry's foremost tunnelling contractors, well established in their field. We offer a comprehensive range of services to the water, rail, and civil engineering industries across the UK & Ireland.

An amazing opportunity has come up for a Buyer within our experienced company based in Bedworth, Coventry.

Responsibilities:

+ Responding to requests regarding products/services required in a time efficient manner.

+ Ensuring all purchased items meet project schedules and working with the team to determine action for overdue materials.

+ Source and purchase materials, tools, equipment, plant and consumables.

+ Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and new suppliers.

+ Monitor market trends and identify cost-saving opportunities.

+ Collaborate with Fabrication and plant managers to understand material requirements and specifications.

+ Support the development of the sustainability and social impact agenda, proactively engaging the supply chain for innovations and new sustainable products or technologies and keeping detailed reports on our sustainable outputs i.e. fuel usage, spend on timber, etc.

+ Working with project teams to review project progress and address associated issues immediately.

+ Maintenance and review of company Approved Supplier List

+ Complete purchase order queries

Requirements:

+ Good communication skills
+ Confident telephone manner
+ Strong negotiation skills
+ Competent with IT including Microsoft Excel
+ Experience within civil engineering / construction industry beneficial

Assistant Buyer

Hybrid Working

£30,000 -£35,000 + Generous Bonus

A fantatsic opportunity has arisen for an ambitious, intelligent, motivated, can-do individual who wants to build a career in procurement. Joining a team where we celebrate the wins together, becoming an active, valued team member from day one. 

We are seeking a talented postgraduate to join our established Bristol based Engineering / Defence Services company. We supply complex manufacturing and critical services to customers including Rolls Royce and the MoD. You will be working from our Bristol office.

No experience needed however some procurement understanding / awareness is advantageous, we are seeking driven individuals to join a high performing team for a procurement career.

We will support your development funding additional qualifications and strive to create and support good work life balance.

As an Assistant Buyer, you will be responsible for the day-to-day Operational Performance and be integral in delivering innovative supply chain solutions supporting further growth opportunities pursued by the business. 

Main duties

• Convert Purchase Requisitions to Purchase Orders and issue to suppliers.

• Prepare, Issue and Review supplier RFQ’s, recommending preferred options to all relevant Stakeholders.

• Ensure materials are bought in line with Project and Customer requirements.

• Identify resolutions for critical path supply.

• Responsible for developing and maintaining key supplier relationships and support supplier performance improvement.

• Take ownership of Order Book Management activities.

• Manage Goods in and Invoice queries associated with your orderbook.

• Ensure data accuracy of the ERP system is maintained with valid pricing and purchase requirements.

• Support the Buying Team in the tendering and sourcing process in accordance with agreed project deliverables.

• Support in Strategic Sourcing to ensure best practice sourcing and pricing portfolio is achieved.

• Confidently negotiate and agree Terms and Conditions, and contractual agreements including the flow-down and management of KPI’s.

To support our continued growth, Stirling Dynamics are looking to hire an Assistant Buyer to join our Procurement team.

The successful candidate will support with the procurement of goods and services for internal customers and will work hand in hand with project delivery teams to deliver operational excellence, driving results through effective supplier management and ensuring Company Procedures are followed.

The successful candidate will support the Buyer and Senior Buyer with the purchase of goods and services, achieving the most competitive and advantageous commercial terms. They will need to drive and monitor supplier performances to ensure best possible value is delivered to the business.

This role will be suitable for someone with no prior experience of procurement provided they are willing to learn, are organised and looking to develop their career within procurement.

This role will be based in our Bristol office however employees are able to work from home part of the time.

• The key accountabilities for the role are varied and will include the below. We will support the successful candidate as they progress into this role.
  • Supporting the evaluation and ongoing development of new suppliers
  • Developing relationships with suppliers
  • Handle procurement requests from internal customers, ensuring that the requirements to be placed on the supplier are clearly understood
  • Negotiating with suppliers to agree prices, quantities, delivery schedules
  • Placing purchase orders as per company procedures
  • Arranging transport of goods and tracking orders to ensure timely delivery
  • Supporting supplier audits as a part of Supplier Approval and Re-accreditation process
  • Working within a cross functional team to support projects with Project Management, Engineering and Production
  • Supporting the movement of goods overseas, ensuring we have the correct documentation in place and liaising with shipping companies
  • Supporting data management and analysis of pricing trends

• The personal qualities of the candidates will be key to success in this fast-paced, dynamic environment and it demands a self-motivated attitude with a real drive to progress. Candidates must be able to identify with the characteristics and qualities detailed below:
  • Integrity and excellent attention to detail
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Relationship building and networking skills
  • Excellent computer skills, particularly MS Excel
  • Can-do attitude & hands on approach to work
  • Proactive
  • Good written and oral communication skills
  • Cost conscious
  • Good organisational skills, including record keeping
  • Good team player who uses initiative, is self-motivated and enthusiastic
  • Ability to manage their own workload and deal with conflicting priorities

• An understanding of supply chain management and logistics
• The ability to understand technical and commercial aspects
• Commercial background within manufacturing and/or engineering industry
• Experience in product costing and/or costed Bill of Materials and identification of product cost drivers

Competitive package. Grade 1 with a salary up to 28,000

We offer a range of benefits to our employees to recognise their efforts. Playing hard is equally as important as working hard, so regular events are held throughout the year which provide an ideal opportunity to mix socially.

The Assistant Buyer supports project teams by ensuring materials and services are sourced efficiently, cost-effectively, and in line with company standards. This role involves working closely with internal departments and external suppliers to secure the best value while maintaining ethical and sustainable procurement practices.

They contribute to key business goals, including social impact and sustainability, and play a part in delivering critical infrastructure projects across the UK.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Duties:

• Purchase construction materials and related services across different operational sectors.

• Evaluate supplier options, negotiate prices, and manage delivery logistics.

• Monitor market trends and work with the procurement team to improve supply chain strategies.

• Assist with commercial aspects of procurement on assigned contracts.

• Build strong relationships with suppliers and internal teams to ensure high-quality service.

• Support teams with product knowledge and commercial awareness throughout project stages.

• Ensure procurement activities align with company processes and financial policies.

Administrative Duties:

• Keep accurate records using company purchasing systems.

• Provide reports and data to support procurement and wider business needs.

• Submit procurement analysis for approval, ensuring alignment with company policies.

Performance Goals

• Demonstrate value for money through effective procurement (e.g., cost savings, quality, efficiency).

• Support supply chain performance and engagement.

Key Working Relationships

• Collaborates with procurement managers, site teams, finance, health & safety, and business development departments.

• Works with a range of external suppliers and partners.

Candidate Requirements

Essential:

• Experience in a similar procurement or buying role (ideally in construction or engineering).

• Strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Commercially aware with budget monitoring experience.

• Confident using Microsoft Office and procurement systems.

• Able to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and pay attention to detail.

• Self-motivated and team-oriented.

Desirable:

• Working towards or holding a CIPS qualification.

• Degree or equivalent experience.

• Experience with in-house purchasing systems.

• Full UK driving licence.

Are you a highly organized and detail-focused professional with a talent for procurement? A client of mine is seeking an Assistant Buyer to join a client of ours based in Walsall, working a full-time, Monday to Friday schedule!

This is a permanent opportunity.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the commercial side of the construction industry, offering a salary of 25,000 - 28,000!

As a key member of the buying team, you will be responsible for a range of administrative and procurement tasks that are vital to our projects' success. Your duties will include:

• Order Processing: Efficiently managing the day-to-day processing of invoices and one-off ad hoc orders.

• Commercial Support: Collaborating with the commercial team to facilitate timely supplier payments and manage and update plant hire reports.

• Documentation Management: Maintaining a meticulous filing system for all purchase orders, quotes, and requisitions.

• Compliance and Auditing: Conducting due diligence checks on third-party suppliers, actively chasing expired documents, and managing the approval process for new orders.

• Problem Resolution: Performing root cause analysis on procurement issues, following up on third-party delays, and resolving queries with site teams.

• Technical Review: Performing simple quantity takeoffs and reviewing technical drawings to ensure orders are accurate.

• Reporting: Preparing and presenting monthly reports, including CVR comments and the insolvency watchlist, to the management team.

• Supplier Communication: Acting as a primary contact for suppliers, issuing "order complete" notices, and ensuring strong, ongoing relationships are maintained.

We are looking for a proactive individual with a keen eye for detail and strong administrative skills. Previous experience in a purchasing or commercial support role, especially within the construction industry, would be highly beneficial.

If you are a great communicator with excellent organizational skills and are ready to take on a challenging and rewarding role, we encourage you to apply!

Randstad CPE values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.