Purchasing & Logistics Assistant

Salary: £36,000 per year

This challenging and exciting opportunity requires an individual currently carrying out a similar purchasing role from the construction sector.

Our client is one of the UK’s largest specialist civil engineering and construction contractors, renowned for providing technically advanced and cost-effective solutions to meet the demands of any project or contract requirement across a wide variety of sectors. Their reputation is built on engineering excellence and a commitment to continual innovation, all backed by a central design, estimating and engineering resource. As one of the largest specialist contractors in the industry, they are able to provide clients with bespoke solutions tailored to individual project specifications, which is all supported by their state-of-the-art processes and technologies.

Due to continued growth, a significant increase in workload and a number of recent “spotlight” contract awards, including large packages within the HS2 framework programme, our client now wishes to appoint a Purchasing & Logistics Assistant. Reporting to the Procurement Manager, the main purpose of this role will be to operationally assist in the day to day operations of the company’s central procurement department, and support the team in an overall sense of responsibility.

The Role

• Support the Purchasing & Logistics team in delivering an excellent service.
• To assist and follow various divisional contracts programmes, ensure timely provision of specified equipment and supplies for projects
• To be able to adapt quickly and efficiently to programme and project requirements
• To assist with ensuring arrangements are in place to transport rigs and equipment to sites UK wide
• To appraise potential suppliers and expedite their QA credentials accordingly
• To conduct comparison exercises, and if applicable, negotiate on price ethically and appropriately
• To raise and manage procurement and purchase orders
• To expedite scheduled deliveries by liaising with suppliers in a collaborative and engaging manner
• To track on-hire reports and collection of off-hired items
• To monitor and record supplier performance to measure against company required KPI’s
• To support the Procurement & Logistics function as required in all other aspects on a day to day basis
• Provide service and support to contracts teams in meeting the needs of their project requirements
• Provide support to the estimating team in acquiring quotes, and offering supplier and material recommendations
• Work to and actively promote the highest of company standards, ethics and morals
• Comply with, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in accordance with Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement (FREDIE) principles
• Actively interact within the team, and with all required stakeholders in a professional manner
• Maintain a good relationship with the company’s network of UK wide regional offices, divisions, including their respective plant and accounts departments
• Obtain quotes and negotiate prices for goods and services delivering VFM
• Support the provision of goods and services within the budget assigned to each project
• Check and manage invoices, whilst maintaining and adhering to internal procedures

The Person

• Either educated to a tertiary level or standard, or have proven experience within a construction purchasing environment, with numerical accuracy and good oral communication being very important
• To have commercial awareness, be highly organised by nature and able to use your own initiative
• To be confident, and have excellent, assured verbal and written communication skills
• Have the ability to adapt and amend work load priorities in a regularly changing environment
• Excellent IT skills including Outlook, Excel and Word, training will be given on the company’s specialist purchasing software
• To be a natural team worker, have a positive and friendly attitude, and be self-sufficient with supervision as required
• To possesses good negotiating skills and the flexibility to adapt to changing demands of the role as required, including on occasions, the ability to carry out duties which do not form part of the normal remit
• To offer the ability to meet challenging deadlines often in high pressure situations

• Should be robust and resilient, possessing determination and natural enthusiasm, as well as being a team player
• Must have excellent time management skills, being able to effectively prioritise and delegate against deadlines

An attractive salary and benefits package (permanent) is on offer to the successful candidate, along with longevity of work, given the forward order workload and the company’s continued commitment to growth across the UK.