Job Title: Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) Buyer
Role Type: Full-time, permanent
Location: Kent
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced M&E Buyer to support a leading building services contractor specialising in full mechanical and electrical installations across residential and commercial projects. You will be key in managing procurement of materials and subcontract services to deliver projects on time, on budget and to the required quality standards.
Key Responsibilities
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Source, evaluate and negotiate with suppliers and subcontractors for M&E materials, plant and services (mechanical HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire, controls etc)
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Build and maintain relationships with approved vendors, maintaining a preferred supplier list and monitoring supplier performance (delivery, quality, cost)
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Issue purchase orders, manage order acknowledgements, track delivery and material availability to align with project programmes
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Monitor project costings, liaise with quantity surveyors and commercial teams to ensure materials spend is aligned with budget and approvals
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Work with the project team to forecast material requirements, identify long-lead items, mitigate supply chain risk and proactively resolve procurement issues
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Ensure compliance with company procurement procedures, H&S and quality standards (e.g., specification adherence, correct certifications, warranty documentation)
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Assist with inventory control of site materials where required, ensuring minimal waste and efficient stock use
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Participate in supplier tendering exercises, benchmarking material cost, value engineering opportunities and tracking market trends
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Support end-of-project handover by ensuring supply records, warranties, as-installed data and maintenance documentation are provided to client or FM teams
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Work closely with design, estimation, project and contracts teams to ensure procurement strategy aligns with project schedule and commercial constraints
Required Skills & Experience
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Proven procurement/buyer experience within the M&E or building services sector
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Strong commercial awareness, with ability to negotiate favourable terms, achieve cost savings and manage spend against budget
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Good technical understanding of mechanical and electrical building services (equipment, fittings, plant, controls)
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Capability to work with project programmes and ensure procurement is aligned with installation sequences
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Excellent communication skills, working effectively with internal project teams, suppliers and subcontractors
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Competent in purchasing/ERP systems, MS Office suite (Excel in particular) and ideally materials management tools
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Strong organisational and planning skills, able to prioritise across multiple projects and work to tight deadlines
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A proactive mindset — identifying risks, driving improvements, seeking efficiencies and value engineering opportunities
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Integrity and commitment to ethical sourcing and compliance with company governance, health & safety and quality standards
Desirable Attributes
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Formal procurement qualification (e.g., CIPS or equivalent) or willingness to obtain
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Experience with framework agreements, long-term supplier arrangements and strategic sourcing
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Previous exposure to large and complex building services projects (multi-million value, multi-trade)
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Understanding of sustainability, circular economy and innovation in M&E procurement (e.g., low-carbon technologies, offsite/pre-fab)
Why Join Us?
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Join an established, family-run building services contractor with a strong reputation for delivering high-quality M&E projects across residential and commercial sectors
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Work on a variety of projects, gaining broad exposure to mechanical, electrical and plumbing services and plant
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Be part of a collaborative team where your procurement strategy and decisions have visible impact on project success
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Opportunity to grow and develop your procurement career in a specialist M&E environment