Assistant Buyer

I am recruiting on behalf of my client, a national housebuilder. They are searching for an assistant buyer to join their team and assist in the expansion and growth of the company.

The Commercial team deals with everything to do with cost-effective building, including quantity surveying, estimating, procurement and material buying.

With a watching brief on choice of material, cost, customer satisfaction and sales, and other critical issues, our Commercial team – which comprises Estimators, Quantity Surveyors and Material Buyers – has one objective: to deliver best quality homes, at the best possible cost.

Reporting to the Buying Manager, you will manage an efficient materials-purchasing process on multiple sites.

You will be expected to:

• Schedule and place material and plant orders with Group National Suppliers where appropriate or general suppliers, optimising cost and quality
• Attend internal pre-start meetings and team meetings
• Check Architects/Engineers drawings for discrepancies and compliance with the required material specification. Thereafter resolving any queries with the relevant consultants/Technical department
• Ensure correct specifications are being used
• Produce material cost schedules and budgets with cost codes for new sites and as required, to review material cost codes to ensure budgets are not exceeded
• Produce schedules for material enquiries, sending to suppliers for costing and assessing quotations and supplier’s schedules to ensure they are correct
• Project and report material cost increases as they arise
• Provide site material accruals on a monthly basis
• Compile quarterly material valuations for presentation to the Surveyor to be incorporated in the respective valuation meetings
• Resolve invoice queries with the Accounts department
• Carry out material on site checks and produce reports as required
• Attend site weekly to ensure there are no problems with supplies/materials
• Raise office and Sales and Marketing orders