Operational Buyer

Are you an experienced Operational Buyer, Buyer or Procurement Specialist looking for a fast-paced role within a global manufacturing environment? Do you enjoy managing supplier relationships, expediting deliveries, resolving supply issues and ensuring critical materials are available to support production?,

• Manage the end-to-end order lifecycle from placement through to delivery
• Expedite supplier orders and proactively manage delivery performance
• Monitor supplier commitments, identify risks and implement mitigation actions
• Manage and resolve material shortages to minimise impact on production
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and monitor key performance metrics
• Maintain accurate supplier and material master data within SAP
• Support forecasting and demand planning activities
• Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies and payment-related queries
• Monitor pricing changes and supplier performance trends
• Create and maintain procurement dashboards and reporting tools
• Collaborate closely with Production Planning, Supply Chain and Manufacturing teams
• Identify opportunities to improve and automate procurement processes
• Participate in continuous improvement and value stream mapping activities
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures and regulatory requirements
• Work closely with international suppliers to ensure material availability and on-time delivery, Experience as an Operational Buyer, Buyer or Procurement Specialist, ideally with 3+ years' experience
• Experience managing the full order lifecycle from placement through to delivery
• Strong supplier management and relationship-building skills
• Proven experience expediting orders and managing supplier performance
• Experience resolving material shortages and supply chain issues
• SAP experience, ideally as a confident day-to-day user
• Experience working within a manufacturing or engineering environment
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Ability to prioritise multiple tasks and work effectively within a fast-paced environment
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to analyse and manage large volumes of data
• Confidence escalating issues and driving resolutions when required
• Experience working with international suppliers would be advantageous
• Exposure to demand planning, continuous improvement or procurement process optimisation would be beneficial
  
  ZEISS is an internationally leading technology company operating in the optics and optoelectronics industries. ZEISS is shaping technological progress and through its solutions is extending the horizon of the world of optics and associated areas., If you want to make a real impact within an international manufacturing supply chain and build your career with ZEISS, we'd love to hear from you.