Harlow, Essex Macfarlane Packaging
Assistant Buyer
Location: Harlow
Package: Basic salary up to £23,500 plus bonus & flexible benefits package including up to 27 days holiday (Plus additional annual leave purchasing scheme)
Sector: Packaging distribution

The Company
We, the UK s largest packaging distributor have an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Buyer to join our procurement team based in Harlow. We are a committed equal opportunities employer that champions dignity in the workplace . Our focus is to provide customers with fully integrated and innovative packaging solutions, augmented by outstanding customer service. Our procurement functionality is a vital part of our solution offering and we continually invest in the professional development of our team including CIPS accredited training.

The Assistant Buyer Role
Working as a member of our local procurement team, the Assistant Buyer role will support the site at which you are based whilst upholding the company wide National procurement strategy. Your appointment to this position will be integral to the overall success of our business, as you will be instrumental in helping to coordinate the management and development of the regional supplier base.

Assistant Buyer Key Duties

• Managing a large portfolio of suppliers
• Sourcing and negotiating with existing suppliers, challenging prices where relevant
• Ensuring supplies adhere to quality, service and best practise initiatives
• Managing performance of the supplier base
• Assisting with tendering activity, product enquiries and ad-hoc project work
• Purchasing of standard and non-standard stock items
• Carrying out supplier benchmarking activities
• Reporting and statistical analysis
• Upholding procurement strategy
• Maximising profitability and minimising risk to the Business
• Undertaking stock control and administration activities

Do you have the correct profile?
We certainly welcome your application if you have gained experience of working within a commercial environment and can demonstrate transferable skills including negotiation, communication and customer service. Please note no prior experience within procurement or purchasing is necessary as full training and a clear pathway for development will be provided. As a minimum requirement, we do also seek strong computer literacy (MS Office to include Excel spreadsheets) & strong attention to detail. You will also ideally have some previous experience of working within a small office-based team.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of your age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, or sexual orientation. Should you require any specific support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly.

Our Benefits
We provide a competitive basic starting salary and operate a range of rewarding bonus/incentive schemes. Our flexible employee benefits package can include: -

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
• Additional Holiday purchasing scheme (run annually)
• Contributory pension scheme
• Free parking at the majority of our site locations
• Annual (company paid) volunteering day
• Range of company cars or cash allowance (including hybrid/electric) for qualifying job roles
• Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
• Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
• Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
• Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
• Enhanced HR policies relating to various employee rights & entitlements
• Long service awards (5-40 years)
• Charitable giving options
• Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
• O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off)
• Candidate referral scheme (awards £750 for referring successful applicants to Macfarlane job vacancies)

Your future with us
Here at Macfarlane Group, you truly have the potential to shape your own future and set your own ambitions. We are a large group company where internal promotion and mobility is a key feature of our success. Through tailored career plans, we provide a wide range of structure training & development pathways, utilizing both inhouse expertise to share knowledge and the best-in-class external training partners. There is potential access to management & leadership development, and we work closely with recognized, accredited bodies including the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) & the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS); so there really are no limits to where your journey within Macfarlane Group may take you long term.

How to apply/next steps
This is an urgent appointment whereby we will be working to identify and review the very best of applicants swiftly in the hope of selecting the successful candidate to commence with us ASAP. Please note that Macfarlane Group supports hybrid working where possible and we often conduct our first stage interviews via video. To make an application please simply click apply ensuring that your CV is up to date and relevant.

All applications will be acknowledged, shortlisted applicants normally hearing from us within a week or two. Unsuccessful applicants will also be notified at the end of our process, although if you haven t heard from us within 2-3 weeks of applying, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE