Purchasing Manager

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.

Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

North West

Type of Contract

Full-time jobs

Published at

12-06-2026

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English