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Back to jobs Purchasing Category Manager
  • Manchester
  • £16,000 to £22,000
  • (Permanent)
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This company is a volume importer based in Manchester, a leading supplier of stationery and craft items with over 30 years experience supplying leading supermarkets and discount retailers. They have success throughout the UK and Europe and have offices in both Holland and the USA where business is expanding very quickly; they also have their own sourcing offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Based in their Head Office in Manchester; working alongside other Category Managers, Sales Executives, as well as reporting directly to the Sales Director and Buying Director.

You will be responsible for the fulfilment of purchase orders from negotiation to shipment. This will involve being in daily contact with the Far East, communicating with their current supply base and offices, creating production specifications, raising purchase orders, giving clear instructions, chasing suppliers for samples and shipments. You will also liaise daily and directly with the customer in some instances. Therefore, strong communication skills are essential.

You must also be able to work within a team and thrive under pressure, the environment in which you will work is highly pressurised and very fast paced. A successful candidate will be self motivated, have relevant experience within a buying or merchandising role and excellent administrative skills, you must be proficient with Excel and highly organised. Experience within the Import and Export industry is desirable but not essential.

Your typical duties are likely to include:

- Working in a purchasing department dealing with the Far East on a day to day basis
- Reacting to changes in demand / logistics
- Maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products.
- Liaising with other departments within the organization to ensure on time deliveries including design studio and supply chain.
- Ensuring customer specifications and on time deliveries are met.
- Handling administration of procurement documentation and reports.
- Producing product specification sheets
- Creating product codes
- Raising purchase orders
- Emailing PO’s to suppliers
- Checking of Sales Confirmation invoices against PO’s raised
- Production of artwork briefs
- Photographing samples
- Sending of samples to customers and suppliers

Additional duties are likely to include:

Skills

- Sound negotiation, organizing, interpersonal, communication skills
- Promptly identify any/all deviations from merchandising standards and react accordingly
- Collaborative nature/ team player, but at the same time is a decision maker who can operate independently (within the parameters of the business)
- High degree of problem-solving and decision making ability
- Ability to adhere to the highest ethical standards
- Good interpersonal skills
- Numeracy or ability to work with figures
- Accuracy and thoroughness
- Firmness
- Negotiation skills