Introduction
An excellent opportunity for an experienced Purchasing & Stores Manager to join Niftylift Limited, a leading designer and manufacturer of mobile elevated work platforms based in Hoyland, Barnsley.
Selected candidate will support the global supply chain operations by influencing supplier engagement and continuous product development.
About the Role
This position combines leadership of the Purchasing team with responsibility for the Stores and Internal Logistics function, ensuring a robust, efficient, and world‑class supply chain.
Purchasing Management
* Lead the purchasing function for the Hoyland site, ensuring both stability and development of the supplier base.
* Develop, support, and coach the purchasing team; formalise value‑added procedures and ensure adherence.
* Provide leadership on developing current and new supplier bases and logistics using proven techniques to maintain world‑class supply.
* Ensure commercially secure, efficient purchase, control and scheduling of material at the lowest overall cost in line with Niftylift purchasing strategy.
Stores Management
* Oversee all aspects of internal logistics, materials management and stock control, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
* Develop and align stocking policies with purchasing, scheduling and safety stock categories to achieve balanced inventory that meets demand and supports seasonal flexibility.
* Coach the stock control team to manage direct materials, stock policies and investigate discrepancies, ensuring accurate perpetual inventory and annual stock‑take accuracy.
* Drive continuous improvement to automate transactional data, optimise equipment and space usage via fleet planning, and support environmental legislation and standards.
Responsibilities and Duties
* Manage suppliers with a spend of £10M+, negotiating robust, commercially secure contracts.
* Develop and maintain a global structured supply base with dual sourcing and backups for all sensitive commodity types.
* Develop KPI reporting and scorecard measurement of suppliers.
* Identify opportunities and implement new purchasing strategies.
* Research, audit and select vendors for strategic partnerships.
* Maintain and audit an approved primary supplier base on financial stability, technical, commercial, quality, delivery and support abilities.
* Competitively tender parts as commodity groups and maintain teamwork with Milton Keynes.
* Support New Product Introduction projects through implementation.
* Conduct supplier development and recovery meetings in line with group needs.
* Maintain ordering methods, rolling delivery schedules, materials control and purchasing planning parameters on the company’s MRP.
* Verify, investigate and resolve MRP purchasing/schedule issues.
* Achieve cost savings through supplier technical resources, global and currency sourcing, correct selection, packaging/storage, finish & coatings.
* Oversee strategic logistic management, identify best practice and align with global supply chain purchasing strategies.
* Align direct material processes to optimise stock control, space and cost.
* Report slow‑moving and obsolete stock to reduce, control and prevent.
* Monitor and manage stock discrepancies to ensure accurate demand pulling through MRP.
* Maintain full understanding and compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 standards, and develop effective logistics procedures and compliance.
* Plan and maintain ‘how‑to’ guides for transactional processes to support training needs and standardisation.
Experience & Qualifications
Essential:
* Minimum 5 years’ experience in senior purchasing, commodity management or supply chain roles.
* Strong background in purchasing steel, welded fabrications and machined components within an engineering environment.
* Experience in continuous single‑piece flow production setting.
* Strong understanding of MRP systems and Microsoft Office.
* Experience in stock control, internal logistics and inventory management.
* Strong contract negotiation skills, including inventory reduction.
* Ability to travel globally to support supplier management.
* Experience with lean manufacturing tools, supplier auditing (commercial/SQA/PPAP/QPAP), and contract negotiation.
Desirable:
* CIPS qualification (or working towards).
* Experience with open‑book costing and PPV.
* Automotive standard supply contracts and penalties exposure.
Working Hours
* 07:30 – 16:30, Monday – Thursday.
* 07:30 – 13:30, Friday.
Benefits
* 25 days holiday (increasing to 30 days with service) plus bank holidays.
* Annual bonus (£500 per annum, based on recent average).
* 5% contributory pension scheme.
* Life insurance scheme.
* Health cover scheme.
* Staff discounts.
* Cycle to Work scheme.
* Employee referral scheme.
* Discounted gym memberships.
* Free on‑site parking.
* Subsidised refreshments (lunch and drink options).
* Free quarterly company lunches.
* Free family events.
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