Buyer

To procure a defined range of components, in line with Purchasing departmental procedures and objectives, focusing on securing strong commercial terms and excellent quality and delivery service levels from our suppliers

Key Responsibilities & Tasks
Develop and maintain commodity strategies for a specific range of commodities, ensuring that AML is kept up to date on market place commercial and technical developments, as well as potential suppliers. Collaboration with other areas of AML on maintaining commodity strategies which meet the short as well as the long term aims of the business.
• Evaluate cost data and quotation analysis forms and identify cost saving opportunities. Quickly assimilate supplier and AML processes in order to positively impact purchasing performance.
• Confidently enter into total cost and contractual negotiations with current and potential suppliers.
• Understand and apply tools and techniques to close cost gaps and achieve value for money whilst maintaining supplier relationships.
• Manage supplier performance through vehicle launch phases and current vehicle phases, ensuring that Quality, Cost and Delivery performance is maintained at high levels. In addition, provide enthusiasm and passion for driving continuous improvement in these metrics, internally at AML as well as at the Supplier.
• Provide purchasing / commercial input into cross-functional teams that effectively contributes to the organisation's programme goals by applying a confident approach to teamwork.
• Understand and support the quality department in achieving full Quality Approval (Supplier Performance Approval Process).
• Constantly strive for process improvement opportunities internally, as well as with the Supplier base, focussing on business 'Best Practice' initiatives.
• Identify supplier risk and develop robust risk mitigation strategies where necessary.
• Lead and promote good supplier relationships.
• Play an instrumental role in enabling the function to achieve its business objectives, through meeting or ideally exceeding defined objectives.

Qualifications & Experience
• Educated to Degree level and a full member of CIPS, or at least working towards this.
• Previous purchasing experience is desirable.
• Understanding of the strategic role of the purchasing function and ability to work at this level.
• Demonstrable ability to prioritise tasks and have effective time management and analytical skills.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Post holder should hold a full driving licence and be prepared to travel where their specific work responsibilities require