Production Buyer

About us

The Brompton is acknowledged worldwide as the finest bike of its type and this excellence, combined with resurgence in cycling for transport means we are enjoying strong, sustained growth. If we are to continue to thrive, we need to recruit great people who can drive innovation of our products and the processes used to make them. We are proud of our bikes and enjoy using them. We export 80% of our production to 44 countries around the globe and intend to produce over 100,000 bikes this year but believe that we are just getting started.

Brompton Bicycle manufactures in its factory in West London a bike that is generally considered the best portable bike there is. The company is privately-owned, successful, and profitable, and we have good relationships with our distributors and users.

If you have huge enthusiasm, thrive on being given responsibility and want to make great products that make a difference to people’s lives we can offer you a job you will not find anywhere else.

Uniform:  The Company wishes to portray a corporate and professional business image to its clients and customers. It also wants to ensure that clothing is compatible with safe moving and handling practices, reducing the risk of injury.  To this end you will be supplied with Company polo shirts that you will be required to wear

The role

We are looking for a Production Buyer to join Brompton in London. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to start on a career within Purchasing, or for someone who is already working within purchasing and looking for a new challenge.

Working within a team, you shall be responsible for placing Purchase Orders according to the Material requirements or Purchase Request on behalf of the commodity. You will be actively involved in the management of the material flows in order to ensure that outsourced and purchased products are delivered on time, quality and cost to satisfy customers and launch first level of corrective and preventive actions.

This is a perfect opportunity to work on a dynamic network between Brompton Bicycle Plant and the Procurement world.

You will drive supplier performance across the end-to-end supply chain in a fast-moving, digital environment. In this role, you will manage a portfolio of suppliers in support of all Commercial Brompton Programmes. Brompton has a global supply chain.

Are you ready to take the challenge? Then take the chance and apply now for the next step in your career!

  Main duties and responsibilities       

• Supplier Portfolio Management
  • Daily management of global supplier and subcontractor portfolio using existing business tools and future digitalisation.
  • Proactively operate in a procurement community as partner to Planning, Logistics, Quality and NPI team.
  • Demand and forecast control, challenge internally MRP demand and unusual consumption.
  • Review weekly/monthly/quarterly delivery schedule and forecast with suppliers.
  • Monitor and manage delivery forecasts and 'line of balance' through regular interaction with suppliers.
  • Anticipation of operational risks and issues to drive proactive and mitigation action plans with supplier and transversal departments.
  • Analyse delays, prioritize urgencies, Ensure clear and regular communication to all internal customers and that the escalation process is initiated in a timely manner where required to avoid impacts to build through late supply.
  • PO release planning throughout the year.
  • Requirement of potential supplier visit or anticipation of trade show.

• Logistics
  • Use of appropriate logistic and ordering solutions, arranging shipping with 3PL.
  • Driving the reverse logistics flows (quotes, return parts, followed removals).
  • Follow-up and support troubleshooting for delivery issues, Goods receipt, Technical/Administrative quality notice and invoices.
  • Manage & optimise airfreight cost and oversee the airfreight approval process.

• Master Data & PDM Update
  • In line with influencing factors (Delivery performance, quality performance, demand fluctuation, Economic Order Quantity);
    • Maintain and Optimise the ordering parameters (batch size, MOQ, Leadtime, Kanban, etc.) on both INFOR and PDM system.
    • Support optimisation of inventory parameters (Safety stock, reorder point) with Supply planner.

• Transactions accuracy
  • Raise, release, monitor and adjust Purchase orders within supplier leadtime and requirements.
  • Confirm and update Purchase order data (Promise date, Brompton arrival dates) in Infor as per the supplier’s confirmations.
  • Manage reordering tasks after rejection, scrap/damages.
  • Maintain MRP/APS/Control Tower requirements filled with promised orders sufficient to replenish stock and cover both demand and safety stock, Analyse MRP and Supply External Product exception messages.
  • Complete handover of new parts purchased items from development phrase (Category buyer) to support production phrase.

• Monitoring
  • Monitoring and improvement of first tier Supplier relationships.
  • Monitoring of the Supply Chain's performance (reception, shops, internal transport, shipping).
  • Measure Supply Chain KPIs such as OTD and OTIF, OQD , Missing parts, Ordering measures, VMI Level of Service, Stock KPI’s, Supplier rating (confidence level) including collaboration process.
  • Support NPI for Supplier selection by providing data such as OTD/OTIF/OQD ratings and supplier knowledge.
  • Participate in supplier performance reviews/provide performance feedback to supplier where required.
  • Providing oversight of the amount of inventories and implement action plans with suppliers in order to control the level.
  • Monitor transit and transit delays.
  • keep accurate records of payment and delivery of goods and services.

• Goods-in-Transit (GIT) Activities
  • Book GIT item invoices, generate Goods Receipt Note (GRN) and log document reference.
  • Maintain the IPR site and ensure shipping documents are updated.
  • Update container numbers, and tracking ref, BBL arrival dates on INFOR weekly.
  • Manage GIT counts monthly and annually.

• Projects
  • Create the future: Support Supply chain and Logistics Transformation projects and processes, Contributing or leading projects that improve the current way of working and/or prepare the future of (digital) supply management.

Key skills required

• Self-driven, proactive, and practical
• Good at communication and a quick learner
• Solid purchasing skills, such as supply planning, managing RFQs, negotiation, and supplier relationship management
• Competent in Microsoft office package, especially EXCEL
• At least 2 years’ experience in purchasing within manufacturing environment

• Eligible to work in the UK

Desirable Skills

• CIPS qualification

Education

• Degree qualified or equivalent in a relevant field, e.g., Business Management, but non-essential

Benefits

Brompton offers you a very excellent working environment with enthusiastic colleagues who get along very well, communicate, and cooperate with each other. The working climate is informal, but we work hard. Next to good terms of employment Brompton offers you the opportunity to work in a responsible and challenging job within a dynamic, international, and ambitious environment.  We are all proud to be part of Brompton Bicycle; we all share the same passion and dedication to the company and embrace differences in cultural backgrounds and skills.

 Huge discount on your very own Brompton (family and friends get discount too)

 Position to thrive. Whether you are early in your career or an experienced professional, Brompton provides you with everything you need to excel in your job and for personal growth.  You will be actively encouraged to increase your skillset and to attend relevant events

 20 days holiday plus Bank Holidays, increasing the longer you stay with us

 Workplace Pension Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Childcare Vouchers, Flexible Working, Cycle to Work Scheme to name just a few….

 Birthday Breakfast, Family Fun Days, Christmas Parties, London to Brighton Bike Rides, Charity Raffles, Volunteering with the local community all go towards creating a working environment that is fun and enriching

Applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.

The Company reserves the right to vary or amend the duties and responsibilities of the post holder at any time according to the needs of the Company’s business.

The statements contained in this job description reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility. It should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences of relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload.