Head of Buying - Sussex

Head of Buying jobs

As a departmental lead, Head of Buying is a role involving supporting, designing and implementing market-leading strategies.

With strong commercial acumen, this person will manage relationships with suppliers and oversee revenue and cost budgeting. Effective negotiation will ensure ROI and Head of Buyers will constantly be reviewing new sourcing opportunities as well as being involved in new product development. As a profit centre in its own right, the buying department is central to an organisation’s commercial gain.

A Head of Buying will have a multi-disciplinary role, looking after short, mid and long-term projects, chairing monthly divisional operational meetings and advising the business on key developments. The individual will typically work with other areas of the business to ensure individual brand objectives, as well as group objectives, are met.

The skills required

As an experienced manager, you will require at least 5 years’ proven track record of overseeing a team. Strong negotiation skills are mandatory, with experience of strategic purchasing.

An ability to lead, influence and coach others is vital for this role as well as the capability to work in a fast-moving, demanding environment that requires strong organisational skills. Highly numerate, IT literate and analytical, you will be someone who remains calm under pressure and be an adept communicator.

Flexibility is key as well as being self-driven, honest and capable of driving team member development. It’s important you are confident to challenge accepted ways of buying, and continually strive to innovate.

You will be an experienced project manager with excellent presentation skills and able to effectively report to all parts of the business, including company directors.

Head of Buying Jobs in Sussex

Sussex, a historic county in the south-east of England, is situated on the Channel coast and shares borders with Surrey, Kent and Hampshire.

It's also home to a number of large settlements - including Chichester, Brighton and Hove, Hastings, Eastbourne, Crawley and Bognor Regis - and offers a range of opportunities for those seeking Head of Buying jobs.

Historically, the region has been known for agriculture and fishing, while the seaside resort towns were popular destinations for tourists, particularly during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

These days, tourism continues to play an important part in the local economy. Brighton, for example, is a favourite getaway for Londoners seeking a bit of sunshine and sea air on the weekends, while visitors from around the world come to see the Royal Pavilion and the pleasure pier.

Of course, there's much more to the region than leisure activities. For instance, Sussex has a strong hold on the financial industry, with credit card giant American Express having its European headquarters here.

The Thales Group, known for manufacturing electrical systems for the aerospace, security and defence markets also has a facility in Sussex.

Other companies in the area include The Body Shop, Doosan Babcock Energy and WesternGeco. Fischer yachts are built in Sussex and Nature's Way Foods produces pre-packaged salads and fruit. Meanwhile, various airlines have offices in the region, such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Thomson Airways.

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Search for Head of Buying opportunities with Cast UK

As market leading recruitment specialists for professional level buying roles across the sectors, Cast UK is committed to building long-term relationships with our clients, enabling us to understand their business models and the roles they are recruiting.

We get to know the personalities and objectives of each candidate; understanding what motivates them, and the appropriate cultural fit for them. This attention to detail means that we are able to make excellent matches between applicants and employers, making placements that are lasting and mutually rewarding.

To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Head of Buying role for your business or find you a job as Head of Buying, contact one of our consultant team on 0161 825 0825

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