Buyer

Title:                       Buyer

Reports to:           Senior Buyer / Procurement Manager

Imagine working at the forefront of innovation in fluid-flow technology, with over 1400 colleagues across the globe, and contributing to a legacy of excellence that spans eight manufacturing facilities on four continents. Armstrong Fluid Technology is more than just a leader in our industry; we are a community of the brightest and most creative minds, driven by a shared mission to engineer the future and safeguard our planet.

As a member of our team, you'll dive into an environment that encourages learning and boundary-pushing every day. You'll be part of an agile and dynamic workplace where today's solutions are built for tomorrow's challenges.

The Buyer is responsible for procuring raw materials, components, and services required for manufacturing. The role ensures timely and cost-effective purchasing that meets production schedules and quality standards, while building strong supplier relationships and maintaining optimal inventory levels.

Key Accountabilities:

Buying

• Analyse Material Requirement Planning and issues purchase orders to domestic and international suppliers
• Progress and check order acknowledgements
• Maintain accurate system data for suppliers, lead time, pricing, batch sizes and cost process fields for new items
• Build and develop collaborative relationships with suppliers
• Participate in monthly Key Performance Indicator verification of supplier results and achievements
• Support the procurement Manager in line with the company’s annual purchasing cost reduction strategy.
• Maintain a risk assessment of key suppliers based on supplier quality and delivery performance, supply category and capacity to meet future demand.
• Negotiate competitive with existing and new potential suppliers to obtain competitive prices, lead times and service levels.
• Ensure Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is amended for any variation against standard costs.

Expediate

• Proactively expedite the timely delivery of goods and services to meet business requirements
• Liaise with production planning to provide updates on critical shortages and mitigate any potential delays to meeting customer deadlines.
• Consolidate shipments where possible to reduce both transportation and transactional costs.
• Active involvement in cross-functional teams through interaction with Quality, Production, Goods In, Finance, Engineering and Sales.
• Identify any areas of concern and opportunities for continuous improvement, using 5S and lean principles.

What We’re Looking For

To thrive in this role, you should bring:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.

• Member of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain (MCIPS/ CIPS) or working towards this qualification is desirable.
• Substantial work experience in purchasing or supply chain roles, preferably within a manufacturing or production environment.

• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems.
• Proven experience working with global or local suppliers in a fast-paced production setting.

Soft Skills

• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail.
• Able to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Problem-solving and decision-making abilities in a time-sensitive environment.

Technical Skills

• Proficient in ERP/MRP systems for purchasing and inventory management.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Understanding of supply chain workflows, lead times, and logistics.
• Knowledge of quality standards, supplier audits, and compliance processes.

Why Armstrong Fluid Technology?

By joining us, you’ll become part of a global community dedicated to pushing the boundaries of fluid-flow technology. You’ll have endless opportunities to learn, grow, and make a significant impact on the world. Together, we'll build tomorrow’s solutions today.