Purchasing & Stores Manager

Introduction

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Purchasing & Stores Manager to join our team at Niftylift. Based at our state‑of‑the‑art fabrication and manufacturing facility in Hoyland, Barnsley, this role plays a key part in supporting our global supply chain operations.

Niftylift Limited is one of the world’s leading privately owned designers and manufacturers of mobile elevated work platforms. We supply products to customers in over 40 countries, supported by more than 400 employees across our three UK Centres of Excellence.

This role offers the chance to influence and engage with the global marketplace-selecting ethical, reliable suppliers and supporting the continuous development of Niftylift’s products and operations.

About The Role

This position combines leadership of the Purchasing team with responsibility for the Stores and Internal Logistics function, ensuring a robust, efficient and world‑class supply chain.

Purchasing Management

• Develop, support and coach the purchasing team. Formally develop and define value-added procedures and their adherence.
• Provide leadership on development of the current and new supplier bases and logistics using proven techniques to achieve a world‑class supply.
• Ensure commercially secure, efficient purchase, control and scheduling of material at the lowest overall cost, in line with the Niftylift purchasing strategy.

Stores Management

• Develop and align stocking policies with purchasing, scheduling and safety stock categories to ensure a balanced stock that meets demand and provides flexibility for seasonality.
• Support and coach the stock control team to ensure ongoing management of direct materials, stock control, stock policies and investigation of discrepancies. Ensure accurate perpetual inventory results and annual stock take accuracy.
• Develop continuous improvement opportunities to maximise the use of information technology, optimise space through fleet planning, and support environmental legislation and standards.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Manage the portfolio of suppliers with a spend of £10 M plus, including the negotiation of clear and robust commercially secure contracts for new and existing suppliers.
• Develop and maintain a global structured supply base with dual source plus backup for all sensitive commodity types.
• Develop KPI reporting and scorecard measurement of suppliers.
• Identify areas of opportunity, initiate and implement new purchasing strategies.
• Research, audit and select suitable vendors for the development of strategic partnerships.
• Maintain and audit an approved primary supplier base on their financial stability, technical, commercial, quality, delivery and support abilities.
• Conduct competitively tendered orders for all parts as commodity groups and maintain structured communication and teamwork with Milton Keynes.
• Support New Product Introduction projects through to implementation.
• Conduct supplier development and recovery meetings in line with the group needs.
• Develop and maintain ordering methods, rolling delivery schedules, materials control and purchasing planning parameters on the company’s MRP.
• Verification, investigation and resolution of MRP purchasing/schedule related issues.
• Achieve cost down through supplier technical/engineering resources, global and currency sourcing, correct supplier selection, packaging/storage, finish & coatings.
• Oversee the strategic management of logistics to identify best practice, alignment to purchasing strategies of global supply chains.
• Align direct material management processes and procedures to optimise stock control, space and cost.
• Report slow‑moving and obsolete stock to reduce, control and prevent.
• Monitor and manage stock discrepancies in good time to ensure accurate demand is pulled through MRP.
• Maintain full understanding and compliance of the company’s ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 18001 standards, and develop and audit effective logistics procedures and compliance.
• Plan and maintain “how‑to” guides for transactional processes to support training needs and standardisation.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a senior purchasing, commodity management or supply chain role.
• Strong background in purchasing steel, welded fabrications and machined components within an engineering or similar environment.
• Experience operating in a continuous single‑piece flow production setting.
• Strong understanding of MRP systems and Microsoft Office.
• Experience in stock control, internal logistics, and inventory management.
• Strong experience in contract negotiations, inventory reduction and contract negotiation.
• Ability to travel globally to support supplier management.
• Experience with lean manufacturing tools, supplier auditing (commercial/SQA/PPAP/QPAP), and contract negotiation.

Desirable

• CIPS qualification (or working towards).
• Experience with open‑book costing and PPV.
• Automotive standard supply contracts and penalties exposure.

Working Hours

• 07:30 – 16:30, Monday – Thursday.
• 07:30 – 13:30, Friday.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday (rising with service to 30 days) plus bank holidays.
• Annual bonus (£500 per annum, based on recent average – for indication only).
• 5% contributory pension scheme.
• Life insurance scheme.
• Health cover scheme.
• Staff discounts.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Employee referral scheme.
• Discounted gym memberships.
• Free on‑site parking.
• Subsidised refreshments (lunch and drink options).
• Free quarterly company lunches.
• Free family events.

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