Junior Buyer - Bracknell

Junior Buyer jobs

Procurement is a job that might look pretty straightforward on the face of it, but actually involves a good deal of skill and experience, not to mention a little black book full of contacts, to make it work successfully. However there are also many tasks in the job, such as routinely seeking out new clients and making initial contact with them, which many companies can consider inefficient use of procurement expertise , which can be costly.

This is why larger companies will employ junior buyers. They will probably be business graduates, young, able people starting out on their procurement careers but not experienced enough to be entrusted with running a department themselves. Reporting to a senior buyer or purchasing manager, they will be given relatively rigid instructions such as researching very specific data or they will be given lists of contacts to approach with propositions or enquiries, but the bulk of any negotiation, data interpretation, decision-making and sign-offs will be passed to those above him or her.

However, the junior buyer will, as time goes by and as she or he becomes more familiar with the job, gradually start to take more of the initiative when it comes to making decisions. Eventually they will drop the “junior” tag and become simply a buyer or a senior buyer as they make their way up the corporate ladder.

The skills required

Junior buyers will generally be sourced from the graduate pool, perhaps business graduates or possibly those who graduated in a field related to the company’s main sector. However, people without degrees might be considered if they have experience of a sales or buying position elsewhere.

Applicants will definitely need to have a high level of numeracy and literacy, as there will be a good deal of data gathering and communication in the job. IT skills will also be required, especially in the office solutions that are most common. Candidates should also be able to display a good deal of enthusiasm for the work and an ability to absorb information and take instructions.

Most employers will not take on junior buyers with the intention of their remaining juniors for long, however. The role will probably come with a timetable of milestones that demonstrate their growing experience and ability to perform their roles with minimal assistance as they develop.

Junior Buyer Jobs in Bracknell

The Berkshire town of Bracknell is located at the centre of a cross with Farnborough, Reading, Maidenhead and the western tip of London as its points. It is located between the A308(M) and the M3, which run parallel to its north and south respectively.

Bracknell has a long and rich history, with mentions in the Domesday Book and Bronze Age finds there. Locals like to believe it was a favourite haunt of highwayman Dick Turpin, and there was supposed to be a secret tunnel between two inns via which he could escape capture. There must be something in the water, as a band of marauders known as the Wokingham Blacks had been terrorising the forest area; they were finally brought to justice by the Grenadier Guards in 1723. After World War 2, Bracknell was designated as a location for a New Town, and in the intervening decades the town’s population grew from a few thousand to its current total of around 50,000.

Commercially, the town is rather successful, and many multinationals have set up offices there, particularly in the hi-tech and electronics sectors. The list includes Fujitsu, Panasonic, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Siemens, Cable and Wireless, 3M and Novell. The headquarters of Supermarket Waitrose and the UK arm of BMW are also in Bracknell.

Bracknell is a thriving town, where great jobs in logistics, supply chain and procurement such as Junior Buyer positions are often found. Its excellent links to London and the whole of South England, as well as Heathrow Airport, are no doubt parts of the decision when companies choose to locate there.

Popular locations

Cast UK’s procurement opportunities

Cast UK were founded by specialists in logistics, supply chain and procurement, and our consultants are also drawn from these backgrounds, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for when they come to us. In fact, employers often approach us to find managerial and executive candidates before they are advertised, so if you’re in procurement, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Whether you’re relocating for personal reasons or are simply looking for more job fulfilment, there could well be an employer who’s looking for the skills you have. At any given time, Cast UK have jobs all over the UK, so wherever you live, or plan to live, we are well placed to find work that suits your skills.

To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Junior Buyer for your business or find you a job as a Junior Buyer then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.

Contact us