Production Buyer

Job Description

Location: Southern Suburbs
Role Type: Permanent

Role Highlights

This is a hands-on opportunity for a Production Buyer to play a critical role in keeping production moving within a well-established manufacturing business. The role will suit someone who enjoys a fast-paced environment where attention to detail, proactive problem-solving and strong stakeholder relationships are essential to delivering reliable supply.

Role Overview

Joining a collaborative and experienced team of Production Buyers, you will be responsible for the timely procurement of direct materials and the ongoing management of supplier relationships. Working closely with Production and Planning, you will ensure materials are available when they are needed, responding quickly as schedules and operational priorities change. This is a role for someone who thrives on high-volume, process-driven work and takes real ownership of their portfolio.

Day to day, you will manage purchase orders, coordinate supplier schedules and freight requirements, monitor inventory levels and expedite orders to prevent production shortages. You will maintain accurate ERP data, including item masters, pricing, blanket orders and subcontract work orders, while reviewing production schedule changes to identify supply risks before they become problems. Alongside this, you will support inventory optimisation activities such as safety stock, MOQ, EOQ and consignment stock management.

Beyond transactional purchasing, the role offers genuine scope to contribute to the wider procurement function. You will source and evaluate suppliers, support cost reduction initiatives, manage supplier quality issues and non-conformance reports, and contribute to continuous improvement across purchasing and supply chain operations. With a structured onboarding process and broad cross-functional exposure, this is an excellent opportunity to build your expertise across procurement, inventory management, supplier performance and logistics.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier relationships and maintain accurate supplier records.
• Release purchase orders and production schedules in a timely manner.
• Ensure supplier acknowledgements, freight arrangements and goods dispatch requirements are met.
• Monitor material availability and proactively expedite orders to prevent production shortages.
• Liaise closely with Production and Planning teams to support changing operational requirements.
• Maintain and update ERP data, including item masters, pricing, blanket orders and subcontract work orders.
• Review production schedule changes and identify potential supply risks.
• Investigate and resolve supplier and invoice-related queries.
• Support inventory optimisation, including safety stock, MOQ, EOQ and consignment stock management.
• Source, evaluate and engage suppliers to support cost reduction and operational objectives.
• Manage supplier quality issues, non-conformance reports and supplier performance activities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives while maintaining compliance with safety, quality and environmental standards.

Candidate Profile

You are an experienced purchasing professional with at least three years in purchasing, logistics, supply chain or a similar procurement-focused role. You have a strong understanding of how materials planning and supplier management keep production running, and you are comfortable working with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office. Previous experience in a manufacturing environment will be highly regarded, along with the ability to understand and interpret technical drawings. Experience with large ERP platforms or Pronto will be advantageous.

You are a confident communicator who builds productive relationships across a diverse range of stakeholders, including internal teams, suppliers and logistics partners. You think ahead, stay calm when priorities shift and maintain strong attention to detail across high-volume work. You are comfortable taking ownership of your workload, managing competing priorities and deadlines, and working independently when required, while remaining a collaborative member of the team.

Most importantly, you are proactive, resilient and solution-focused, with the flexibility to thrive in a changing operational environment. You enjoy keeping things moving, solving problems before they escalate and contributing to better ways of working. You will be at your best in a supportive, open and honest culture where collaboration, continuous improvement, safety and doing things the right way are valued.

Company, Culture & Benefits

This is a well-established manufacturing business known for its innovation, quality and customer focus. People sit at the centre of the organisation, with a diverse team, a supportive environment and a culture that balances professionalism with genuine camaraderie.

• Take ownership - manage your own supplier and materials portfolio
• Build your expertise - gain broad exposure across procurement, inventory management and supplier performance
• Grow long term - benefit from structured onboarding, internal development and a focus on continuous improvement

Apply

If this sounds like you, please send your resume by clicking apply on the link. Alternatively, please call Shruthika on 0481 603 075 for a confidential discussion.