Buyer – Rail / Engineering
Derby area | £35,000–£40,000 + profit share | Mon–Fri (early finish Fridays)
An established, growing engineering business within the UK rail supply chain is looking to appoint a hands‑on Buyer to take ownership of day‑to‑day procurement across a high‑value spend portfolio.
This is a newly created role, introduced to bring much‑needed structure, control and accountability to purchasing activity that is currently shared across the wider business.
The Role
This is a practical, operational buying position with real impact from day one.
You will be responsible for managing purchase orders, chasing supplier commitments, and ensuring parts arrive when the business needs them — particularly for rail maintenance and overhaul projects where timing is critical.
The role suits someone who enjoys being close to the detail, is happy spending time on the phone with suppliers, and takes pride in keeping things organised, accurate and moving.
This is about execution, ownership and follow‑through.
Key Responsibilities
* Raising and managing purchase orders accurately and efficiently
* Chasing order acknowledgements, delivery dates and expediting late parts
* Acting as the day‑to‑day contact for suppliers, including large strategic vendors
* Maintaining order trackers and delivery schedules
* Supporting operations with reactive and planned purchasing needs
* Resolving invoice queries and order discrepancies
* Improving visibility of supply risks and delivery status
* Helping stabilise and organise procurement processes within a growing business
What We’re Looking For
* Proven experience in an operational buyer / purchasing role
* Background in manufacturing, engineering, MRO or mechanical environments
* Comfortable managing high PO volumes and multiple suppliers
* Confident communicator — happy picking up the phone to suppliers
* Highly organised, tenacious and proactive
* Comfortable working with legacy systems and Excel rather than a full ERP
* Low‑ego, practical mindset — someone who just gets on and gets it done
* Rail experience is helpful but not essential
What’s on Offer
* Salary in the region of £35,000–£40,000, pending experience
* Quarterly profit share on top of base salary
* Stable, growing business with strong order book
* Early finish on Fridays
* Role visibility and genuine impact on operational performance
* Opportunity to shape how buying is done as the function matures
Why Apply?
If you’re a buyer who enjoys being in the detail, likes ownership, and wants a role where your work is immediately noticed and valued — this is an opportunity to step into a business that genuinely needs and will rely on your skillset.