Purchasing Assistant

If you are ambitious self-motivated hardworking and a team player and interested in growing your career with an International FMCG business please read through our job opportunity.

Key Purpose:

To work as part of a Purchasing Assistant Operational pool to assist any Buyers and Purchasing Managers with administrative tasks related to procurement initiatives. Core activities are to be undertaken in line with documented procedures and based on standardised ways-of-working.

Key Responsibilities:


Management of routine price requests coming in to the Purchasing Team from McBride customers sharing enquiries with suppliers obtaining quotations and providing internal feedback by return within pre-agreed timelines.

Upon the request of the Buyer / Purchasing Manager request updated volume forecasts from the sites / divisional teams and provide reports on actual versus contracted volumes.

Ensuring that the SAP system is fully up-to-date with all relevant Purchasing information (for example Info Records Source Lists Vendor and Master Data) so that purchase orders can be placed and that there is an evident audit trail.

Initiate where instructed the creation modification or extension of suppliers using the required documentation and adhering to company policy regarding authorisation.

Respond to invoice anomalies collating facts and sharing conclusions with the appropriate Buyer or Purchasing manager to achieve a resolution.

Upon the request of a Buyer or Purchasing manager input cost saving proposals (COP initiatives) internally managing the project status from start to completion.

Conducting day-to-day administrative tasks (for example answering telephones booking meetings filing contact data maintenance).

Assist in training new colleagues working in the Purchasing Assistant Operational pool.
Key Result Areas:
(The key end results or outcomes by which achievement in the job will be measured)
Accuracy and attention to detail are fundamental success factors.
Timeliness in responding to requests from Purchasing and non-Purchasing colleagues alike is of real importance.
Adherence to policies procedures and published ways-of-working at all times.
Job Description
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Relevant and Quantifiable Measures:
(Relevant facts/figures relating to the job e.g. number of direct/indirect reports budgets financial dimensions or portfolio size)

No direct reports.

Administrative tasks relate to and support c.500m of Group Purchasing spend.

The role is not portfolio specific. Assistance will be provided across the full Purchasing team as required by Buyers and Purchasing Managers with tasks assigned through the Line Manager or by Purchasing sub-team (i.e. Packaging Raw Materials Indirect)
Behavioural Competencies / Personal Characteristics:


Able to communicate in a professional and appropriate manner with external supply contacts (e.g. supplier office staff and sales teams).

A strong team ethic and can-do attitude geared to support both the full Purchasing Assistant pool and the requests of the wider Purchasing team.

Able to positively interact with internal customers / stakeholders working in other Group functions and Divisions (e.g. Supply Chain Planning Product Development Finance / Accounts Payable).

Genuine pride in data accuracy and in meeting critical internal deadlines.
Technical Competencies & Qualifications:
(Relevant business experience technical or professional qualifications needed to do the job)

Numerate and analytical.

Organised and efficient.

Comfortable in dealing with people from a range of backgrounds and cultures.

Excellent knowledge of the English language with evident written and verbal skills.

Strong overall written and verbal communication skills.

Able and content to work independently on day-to-day activities but also to function as part of a wider team.

Compliant with documented policies and ways-of-working.

Confident in escalating problems in an appropriate and timely manner should they occur.

Articulate when providing feedback and assured when soliciting feedback in the case prioritising tasks and managing deadline expectations.

Proficient in SAP and other Microsoft packages (primarily Microsoft Outlook).

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