Job Description
Purchasing Manager
Location: North West England (with overseas travel)
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Newman Stewart is partnering with a growing international manufacturing and distribution organisation in the North West to recruit a Purchasing Manager.
Our client is a specialist manufacturer and distributor supplying technical products into the commercial vehicle and industrial components aftermarket. Operating across international markets, the business is entering a period of growth and is now seeking an experienced procurement professional to support the continued development of its purchasing function.
Job Summary
We are looking for a commercially astute Purchasing Manager to lead procurement activity across a broad technical product portfolio. In this senior role, you will manage supplier relationships, support international sourcing, improve purchasing performance and ensure the business maintains a competitive and resilient supply base.
Reporting to the Group Purchasing Director, you will work closely with Operations, R&D, Sales and Finance to support stock availability, margin management, new product development and wider commercial objectives.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and implement purchasing strategies aligned to commercial and operational goals.
* Identify, assess and onboard new suppliers across international markets.
* Lead sourcing activity for own-brand manufactured components and authorised distribution lines.
* Build and manage strong supplier relationships, negotiating pricing, terms, rebates and commercial agreements.
* Monitor supplier performance, including quality, lead times, on-time delivery and supply chain risk.
* Drive cost reduction initiatives, purchasing efficiencies and margin improvement.
* Work closely with internal teams to support stock availability, demand planning and new product development.
* Manage purchasing data, reporting and procurement activity through ERP and stock management systems.
* Lead, manage and develop the purchasing team, supporting continuous improvement across the function.
* Ensure procurement activity complies with group policies, import/export requirements and responsible sourcing standards.
Essential Requirements
* Proven experience in a purchasing or procurement management role, ideally within automotive, commercial vehicle, industrial components, manufacturing or a related sector.
* Experience managing international supply chains, including sourcing from Asia and Europe.
* Strong negotiation skills with experience managing supplier relationships, pricing agreements and commercial contracts.
* Commercially astute, with a strong understanding of cost modelling, landed costs, pricing and margin management.
* Experience managing supplier performance, stock availability, purchasing KPIs and supply chain risk.
* Confident user of ERP or stock management systems, with strong Excel skills.
* Strong leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.
* Right to work in the UK.
Desirable Skills & Experience
* CIPS qualified, working towards CIPS, or equivalent procurement qualification.
* Experience within the commercial vehicle, heavy transport or automotive components aftermarket sector.
* Experience working within a group, multi-site or international business.
* Familiarity with private label, white-label or own-brand product sourcing and development.
What’s on Offer
* Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
* Senior purchasing role with genuine scope to shape the function.
* Opportunity to join a growing international organisation during a period of expansion.
* Broad procurement remit across sourcing, supplier management, cost control and team leadership.
* Company pension scheme.
* Collaborative, experienced team within a specialist and growing market.