Commercial Buyer / Purchasing & Supplier Relationship Manager

Commercial Buyer / Purchasing & Supplier Relationship Manager
Preston, Lancashire | Up to £45,000 + 20% Annual Bonus + Excellent Benefits
Axon Moore is exclusively partnering with a well-established, private equity-backed business operating within the interiors, flooring and construction supply sector to recruit an experienced Commercial Buyer / Purchasing & Supplier Relationship Manager.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced purchasing professional who understands the value of strong supplier partnerships, commercial negotiation and strategic buying decisions that improve performance and customer outcomes.
Due to the specialist nature of the products and supplier network, experience within flooring, interiors, construction supply, builders’ merchants, distribution or a similar sector is essential.
This is a highly visible role where you will work closely with suppliers, operations, finance, sales and senior leadership to shape purchasing strategy, improve margins and strengthen long-term commercial relationships.

The Opportunity
As Commercial Buyer / Purchasing & Supplier Relationship Manager, you will take ownership of supplier relationships, purchasing activity, product categories and commercial negotiations across the business.
This is not a transactional buying role. You will act as a strategic partner to key suppliers, ensuring the business secures the right products, commercial terms and service levels while maintaining strong, collaborative relationships.
You’ll have the opportunity to influence purchasing decisions, improve supplier performance and play a key role in supporting the continued growth of the business.

Key Responsibilities
Purchasing & Supplier Management

Develop and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and manufacturing partners.
Negotiate pricing, rebates, payment terms, settlement discounts and commercial agreements.
Lead supplier reviews and drive improvements in service, availability and performance.
Manage supply issues and escalations, ensuring excellent service levels.
Challenge cost increases and identify opportunities to improve margins.
Monitor supplier KPIs including lead times, availability and reliability.
Category & Commercial Buying

Manage product categories and purchasing activity across multiple channels.
Review product ranges to ensure they meet customer demand and commercial objectives.
Identify opportunities for new products, supplier innovation and range improvements.
Work with internal teams to ensure products are commercially viable and operationally effective.
Commercial Performance & Supplier Partnerships

Analyse supplier performance, product profitability and purchasing trends.
Support pricing and margin improvement initiatives.
Build strategic supplier partnerships that create long-term value.
Secure additional supplier support including marketing contributions, promotions, training, displays and product initiatives.
Internal Collaboration

Work closely with Sales, Operations, Finance, Customer Care and Installation teams.
Ensure purchasing decisions support customer requirements and business objectives.
Improve communication, processes and commercial visibility across the organisation.

About You
We are looking for a commercially driven purchasing professional who enjoys negotiation, relationship building and delivering value through supplier partnerships.
You will ideally have experience within one of the following sectors:

Flooring
Interiors
Construction supply
Builders’ merchants
Trade distribution
Housebuilder supply chain
Experience in purchasing, procurement, supplier management, category buying, margin improvement or commercial negotiation is essential.
Most importantly, you will be someone who can build trusted relationships, influence suppliers and identify opportunities to improve both commercial performance and customer experience.
Please note: candidates without relevant sector experience are unlikely to be suitable for this opportunity.

Salary & Benefits

Basic salary up to £45,000
20% annual performance bonus
23 days holiday increasing to 25 days after 5 years’ service
Private healthcare
4% matched pension contribution
5 paid sick days per year
Monday to Friday working pattern
40-hour working week
Long-term career progression opportunities
Opportunity to influence purchasing strategy within a growing business
If you’re an experienced Buyer, Senior Buyer, Procurement Specialist or Purchasing Manager with a background in flooring, interiors, construction supply or builders’ merchants, and you’re looking for a role where you can genuinely influence supplier strategy and commercial performance, I’d love to hear from you.
Please send your up-to-date CV to (url removed) or call (phone number removed) for more information.
INDBSO
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed