Job Title: Buyer
Location: Biopure - Havant
Location Type: Hybrid
Website:
Group:
Watson-Marlow Fluid TechnologySolutions is part of Spirax Group, a FTSE100 and FTSE4Good multi-national industrial engineering Group with expertise in the control and management of steam, electric thermal solutions, peristaltic pumping and associated fluid technologies.
When you join us, you will be integrated into a cooperative and encouraging team, participate in challenging yet critical work, and experience ongoing growth opportunities to help you achieve your full potential. Visit our website to learn more.
Job Summary:
We are seeking a talented and motivated Buyer to join our dynamic team.
Key Responsibilities:
In this role as a Buyer at Biopure, you will be managing indirect spend categories, ensuring the best value in terms of cost, quality, delivery and sustainable performance. This role combines day-to-day transactional purchasing with strategic supplier management to support operational efficiency and long-term procurement goals.
You will be responsible for sourcing and procuring goods and services across a range of indirect categories, preparing specifications, managing competitive bidding processes, and negotiating contracts. You will also oversee the full procurement lifecycle—from managing internal purchase requisitions and raising purchase orders to monitoring supplier performance and ensuring compliance with internal policies and budgetary controls.
Key accountabilities include:
1. Oversee the Indirect Purchase Requisition process within AX, ensuring smooth workflow and timely approval of requests that convert into purchase orders.
2. Manage supplier onboarding for indirect suppliers, ensuring compliance with group controls.
3. Develop and implement sourcing strategies to achieve optimal delivery performance and meet internal and external customer needs.
4. Conduct regular price negotiations to ensure competitiveness against previous spend, existing contracts, and market benchmarks.
5. Maintain a database of critical suppliers, monitoring performance and fostering strong, reliable partnerships.
6. Work closely with Finance to ensure timely payment of purchased items.
7. Collaborate with Planning, Production, and Warehouse teams to align procurement with production schedules and operational needs.
8. Provide sourcing updates in relevant forums, including daily stand-up meetings, highlighting changes in delivery dates, pricing, or supplier performance.
9. Ensure purchased materials meet minimum requirements and align inventory levels with usage rates to prevent overstocking.
10. Propose alternative sourcing solutions when needed to mitigate supply risks.
11. Expedite deliveries when necessary to meet business demands.
12. Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, tools, and systems to enhance efficiency and value.
13. Take a holistic category management approach, overseeing supplier count, pricing, delivery, quality, and responsiveness.
14. Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, ensuring alignment of supplier agreements with business performance and cost objectives.
15. Collect and maintain supplier compliance documentation for quality and audit purposes.
16. Ensure adherence to site Quality Management Systems (., ISO 9001, ISO 13485) and departmental health and safety standards.
Skills/Experience:
17. Procurement Experience: Proven experience in supplier management, ideally with experience with indirect suppliers.
18. Experience in biopharma/life sciences sector is advantageous but not essential.
19. Systems Knowledge: Familiarity with MRP/ERP purchasing systems is required; experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 is desirable.
20. Data Proficiency: Confident using Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reporting and decision-making.
21. Influencing Skills: Strong interpersonal and influencing abilities, with a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement and supplier negotiation.
22. Adaptability: Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure.
23. Time Management: Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines effectively.
24. Collaboration: A team player who can build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and suppliers.
At Watson-Marlow, we believe in taking care of our colleagues. We offer a generous benefits package, including:
25. A competitive salary
26. Flexible working arrangements
27. A generous holiday allowance
28. Three days’ paid volunteering leave
29. Life assurance
30. Additional support and benefits through our Everyone is Included Group Inclusion Plan
Everyone is Included at Spirax Group
We are passionate about creating inclusive and equitable working cultures where everyone can be themselves and achieve their full potential. For us, that means supportive teams and strong relationships where everyone’s contribution is valued - across social and cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, genders, gender identities, abilities, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and everything else that makes us human and unique.
We want everyone to be able to make their difference here, so we will always consider requests for flexible working.
We know that everyone needs some extra help from time to time too, so we have introduced a range of additional benefits through our Group Inclusion Commitments. These include
31. Gender-neutral parental leave
32. 15 days of extra paid caregiver leave
33. Paid time off and support for anyone experiencing pregnancy loss or domestic abuse
34. Menopause-friendly workplace principles and more
Learn more at .
We are also a Disability Confident Committed Employer. If you would like to apply using this scheme, please select this option in our application form.
We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
If you require accommodations during the application process, please let us know.
Company Overview
At Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions, part of Spirax Group, we are driven by innovation and are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is empowered to make a difference. As a world leader in manufacturing peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies for the life sciences and process industries, we offer a wide range of products, including tubing, specialised filling systems and products for single-use applications.
Our shared Purpose is to create sustainable value for all our stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world. Our technologies play an essential role in critical industrial processes and industrial equipment across industries as diverse as Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, Power Generation, Semiconductors and Healthcare. With customers in 116 countries, we provide the solutions that sit behind the production of many items used in daily life, from baked beans to mobile phones!
Our inclusive culture and Values, unites us, guides our decisions and inspires us everywhere that we operate. We support our colleagues to make their difference for each other as well as customers, communities, suppliers, our planet and shareholders by creating a truly equitable working environment where everyone feels included.