Purchasing Manager - Woking

Purchasing Manager jobs

It doesn't matter what sector an organisation operates in. Whether it's medical, manufacturing, construction, education, government, defence or something else, it's essential to procure the right goods and services to keep business moving.

That's why Purchasing Managers are critical members of the procurement team. They are responsible for ensuring raw materials, components, goods, equipment and other assets are obtained on time and within budget. Of course, these acquisitions must adhere to approved quality standards.

As a Purchasing Manager, you will be tasked with finding suppliers, negotiating contracts and monitoring the service provided. Depending on your particular job description, you will probably be required to find ways of improving the supply chain, working to set KPIs and implementing change.

For example, this could mean renegotiating contracts, determining best practice procedures and making use of the latest technologies to make cost savings, enhance performance and improve customer satisfaction.

The skills required

If you're thinking of taking on a role as a Purchasing Manager, you should have excellent negotiation and communication skills. Confidence in building relationships with external suppliers and reporting to company stakeholders is also a must.

A good understanding of the various technologies and software can be beneficial - and in some roles, this will be required.

It's also likely that you'll be heading up a team, so knowledge of management techniques and an ability to organise, motivate and train your staff are all good skills to have.

Purchasing Manager Jobs in Woking

Woking is a town in London’s commuter belt, about 21 miles (34 km) from the centre of the capital. It is a prosperous town with a population of about 60,000 in the town itself, but its borough as a whole is home to around 100,000. The Kenwood electronics company was founded in the town by, you guessed it, Ken Wood.

The town has international fame thanks to motor sport. It has been home to McLaren racing since the 1980s after moving from Colnbrook near Heathrow Airport. The racing division of McLaren has a fantastic facility for building its Formula One racing cars in the town, and they have recently opened a state-of-the-art factory for building their road cars, one of which wouldn’t leave you much change out of £200,000. Both factories are notable by their cleanliness, which makes the average operating theatre or satellite laboratory look a little grubby.

Woking is well served by road, rail and air, and its hi-tech industries mean that expertise in many fields is often sought. For our part, Purchasing Manager vacancies have been filled of late, and development seems to be continuing apace.

There are a couple of notable references to Woking in popular culture. In HG Wells’s The War of the Worlds, it is Horsell Common, just north of the town, where the aliens first land, and the town has a 7m high tripod statue in honour of this distinction. Wells wrote the story whilst staying in Woking. It was also the birthplace of The Jam’s Paul Weller, and was the inspiration for their hit single A Town Called Malice. Comedians Sean Lock and Harry Hill and TV cook Delia Smith were also born here.

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Find Purchasing Manager vacancies with Cast UK

As one of the UK's leading recruitment consultancies in the fields of procurement, logistics and supply chain management, Cast UK can help you find the right job for your skills and qualifications.

Our clients are situated in locations across Britain and since our industry specialists also have regional expertise, we can provide the advice and assistance you need to ensure that your career is headed in the right direction.

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

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