Technical Purchaser

About the role

The Technical Purchaser owns the sourcing of specialised and technically specified products, from specification review through supplier qualification, commercial negotiation and order placement. The role sits between end users in operations and engineering and the supplier market, challenging specifications, comparing alternatives on technical merit and ensuring compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Review purchase requisitions and technical specifications, clarifying gaps, ambiguities or over-specification with the requesting department before going to market.
• Identify, shortlist and approach suppliers and manufacturers, including industrial equipment and technical commercial products.
• Run RFQ and RFP exercises, prepare comparative bid analyses and recommend awards on a documented technical and commercial basis; source alternatives and equivalents where justified, with sign-off from the technical owner.
• Evaluate suppliers against technical criteria such as specifications, test reports, material certifications, manufacturing capability, quality systems and after-sales support.
• Coordinate samples, trials, factory or site assessments and technical clarifications with engineering, quality and end users.
• Maintain the approved supplier list, run structured onboarding and check compliance documents, and review supplier performance, escalating underperformance with corrective action requests.
• Negotiate price, payment terms, lead times, warranty, Incoterms and service levels, using total cost of ownership.
• Prepare and issue purchase orders and frame agreements within the delegated authority matrix, and support customs and import documentation with logistics.
• Expedit open orders, manage delivery schedules and resolve shortages, damaged goods, non-conformances and invoice discrepancies.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial) or a related technical discipline; a Supply Chain or Business degree with strong technical exposure may be considered.
• Minimum 4 to 6 years of procurement experience, with at least 3 years buying technical or specialised products in an industrial and commercial environment.
• Proven experience reading technical specifications, drawings and data sheets and judging product equivalence.
• Strong negotiation record, including international sourcing and import procedures.

Required skills

• Proficiency in an ERP system
• Advanced Excel