Job Description

Job Title:

Buyer & Supply Chain Lead - Construction Projects

Salary:

Circa 35k

| Location:

Silverton, Exeter

|

Hours:

Mon-Fri, 8am - 5pm (4pm finish on Fri)

| Annual Leave: 24 days + BH's

Introduction:

Ascencis is a leading roofing and cladding contractor serving the Southwest, Central England, and Wales. With over 45 years of expertise in the building envelope sector, we specialise in delivering complete roofing, cladding, and rainscreen solutions from concept to completion.

Job Overview:

We're looking for a Buyer & Supply Chain Lead to join our team. This role sits at the core of our project delivery, responsible for ensuring materials, products and services are ordered accurately, competitively and on time, protecting both programme and margin.

Based in our Exeter office, you'll work closely with Estimating, Contracts, Design and Accounts, taking ownership once work is instructed and seeing the procurement process through from PO to delivery and resolution. You'll also lead supplier relationships and performance, strengthening our supply chain options, improving commercial outcomes year on year, and helping raise standards as the business continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities:

Own buying and procurement from instruction through to delivery and close-out, including POs, order acknowledgements, warranty applications, chasing, delivery coordination, and resolving issues. Build and manage project procurement plans, covering long-lead items, manufacturing slots, delivery sequencing, and ordering timelines aligned to programme. Work closely with Contracts to confirm realistic programmes and identify procurement risks early, flagging lead times, access constraints, and anything that could impact start dates or cause labour downtime. Work closely with Estimating to ensure what we order matches what was priced and specified, supporting value options and alternatives where appropriate. Liaise with Design to ensure items are properly instructed before ordering, and that design impact is understood, measured and costed where required. Manage supplier relationships and performance, setting clear expectations and maintaining professional, solution-led communication. Strengthen our supply chain by benchmarking pricing, shopping around, and maintaining credible alternatives, not just defaulting to the same suppliers. Negotiate pricing, lead times, service levels, and terms, improving commercial outcomes year on year. Identify and coordinate supplier-led training and product update opportunities (CPDs, manufacturer sessions, install guidance), making sure our teams stay current and we get the most from our supply chain. Coordinate the ordering of project consumables and site equipment, including fixings, sealants, and hired plant, ensuring sites are properly resourced to maintain programme. Liaise closely with Contracts Managers to understand site requirements, manage hire and off-hire, and remove procurement-related friction from live projects. Maintain commercial control by understanding supplier terms, credit limits, project exposure, and our payment application cycle, making procurement decisions that protect both margin and cashflow. Manage shortages, damages, returns, and credits quickly and accurately, keeping clear records and closing issues properly. Maintain clean, auditable records across quotes, POs, confirmations, delivery notes and supplier communication, ensuring clear traceability. Support continuous improvement of our procurement process, working with Ops to reduce admin, strengthen controls, and align ordering with QuickBooks (or future systems). Contribute to internal project planning and team meetings, sharing procurement insight and flagging risks early. Stay up to date with relevant product standards, material specifications, and innovations within roofing and cladding systems, and use that knowledge to strengthen our supply chain options. Maintain a proactive, solution-led approach to problem-solving, resolving challenges efficiently and practically.

Key Requirements:

Buyer / procurement experience in construction: Proven experience buying materials and services for live commercial construction projects. Roofing and cladding knowledge is a strong bonus. Commercial and cash-aware: Understands supplier terms, credit limits, and purchasing exposure across multiple projects. Comfortable making decisions that protect margin and cashflow, not just programme. Programme-focused: Able to work closely with Contracts to build realistic ordering timelines, manage long-lead items, and flag risks early to avoid delays and labour downtime. Specification-led and accurate: Confident working from specifications, drawings, schedules and design information to order right first time. Strong supply chain management: Able to build supplier relationships, negotiate effectively, and maintain options in the market. Not reliant on "the usual suppliers". Systems mindset: Comfortable helping build a more robust procurement process and linking workflows into QuickBooks (or future systems). IT confident: Comfortable with Microsoft 365 (Excel, Outlook, Teams). Quick to learn new platforms and ways of working. Supply chain development mindset: Proactive in spotting supplier-led training and product update opportunities (CPDs, manufacturer sessions, install guidance) and making sure the team benefits from them. Excellent Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication, with the ability to work collaboratively with internal teams, clients, consultants, and site personnel. Organised & Detail-Oriented: Highly organised, with a sharp eye for detail and the ability to prioritise and manage multiple drawing packages or deadlines across various live projects. Resilient Under Pressure: Able to stay calm, focused, and solutions-oriented during busy or pressured project phases, maintaining accuracy and consistency in outputs. Proactive & Quality-Driven: A mindset focused on continuous improvement and getting things right first time, someone who takes pride in their work and actively contributes to raising standards across the business.
Ascencis is an equal opportunities employer. We do not discriminate against any job applicant on the grounds of (including, but not limited to) race or colour, nationality, national or ethnic origin, gender, marital status, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

If you are interested in discussing this opportunity further, please contact adam@ascencis.co.uk

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 30,000.00-35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Free parking On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:

Exeter EX4: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:

Buyer: 3 years (required)
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (required)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person