Job Description

About the role

Responsible for managing and developing strategic Supplier and Steel mill relationships, ensuring continuity of supply, competitive pricing, and strong service performance. The role combines commercial negotiation, mill development, order expediting, and analytical support to drive cost control, supplier performance, and supply resilience across the business. The position plays a critical role in managing price volatility, long lead times, and capacity constraints while supporting business performance and margin protection.

Key responsibilities

Mill & Supplier Development

Identify, evaluate, and develop new mills and suppliers to strengthen supply capability and reduce risk
Maintain strong, long‑term relationships with existing mills and strategic suppliers
Support onboarding, approval, and performance review processes for new mills
Monitor supplier performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives
Act as a key point of contact for mill‑level discussions.

Purchasing & Order Management

Place, monitor, and manage purchase orders in line with demand requirements
Proactively expedite mill and supplier orders to ensure adherence to production and customer deadlines
Communicate regularly with mills and suppliers to confirm production and shipment timelines
Resolve delivery issues, shortages, and discrepancies in collaboration with internal teams
Ensure ERP system data is accurate and up to date (pricing, lead times, delivery dates)

Pricing & Commercial Negotiation

Obtain, compare, and analyse mill and supplier quotations, ensuring competitiveness and commercial compliance
Lead and support negotiations on pricing, terms, and commercial agreements with mills and suppliers
Track price movements, cost drivers, and commodity trends
Support margin protection and cost‑saving initiatives

Analysis & Reporting

Analyse purchasing and supply chain data to support strategic decision‑making
Produce reports on supplier performance, pricing trends, lead times, and risks
Support budgeting, forecasting, and cost analysis activities
Identify opportunities for efficiency, cost reduction, and process improvement

Stakeholder Collaboration

Work closely with all Stakeholders
Support internal teams with pricing information, lead times, and supplier capability insight
Escalate supply risks and constraints with clear recommendations

Skills & Competencies

Strong commercial and negotiation skills within metals procurement
Proven ability to build and maintain supplier and mill relationships
Strong understanding of metals market dynamics and pricing structures
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Strong analytical and numerical skills
Proactive problem‑solving and decision‑making
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
Highly organized with strong attention to detail

Experience & Qualifications

Proven experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain within the metals industry.
Experience working directly with mills
Strong experience in Commercial negotiation, order expediting, and supplier management
ERP system experience (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Dynamics, Sage or similar)
Strong Excel skills (analysis, cost comparisons, reporting)
Qualification in Supply Chain, Procurement, or equivalent experience (desirable)