Supply Chain Buyer / Program Manager

Supply Chain Buyer / Program Manager — Electronics ManufacturingWe are seeking a commercially strong and execution-focused Supply Chain Buyer / Program Manager to manage procurement, supplier coordination, material readiness, cost control, and program delivery support for an electronics manufacturing operation. This role requires a hands-on professional who can drive supplier performance, secure materials on time, manage purchasing priorities, support production requirements, and coordinate closely with internal teams to ensure customer commitments are met. Key ResponsibilitiesProcurement & Buying• Manage the purchasing process for assigned commodities, projects, or customer programs. • Source, evaluate, and negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, reliable lead times, and suitable commercial terms. • Issue purchase orders and follow up closely on order confirmation, delivery schedules, shortages, and supplier commitments. • Monitor supplier performance in relation to cost, delivery, quality, responsiveness, and service level. • Resolve purchasing issues, including price discrepancies, late deliveries, minimum order quantity constraints, and documentation gaps. Program & Material Readiness• Coordinate material readiness to support production schedules, customer delivery requirements, and project timelines. • Work closely with Production, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Warehouse, Finance, and Management to resolve supply chain issues. • Track critical parts, long-lead items, shortages, and supplier delays that may affect production or customer delivery. • Maintain clear visibility of material status, open purchase orders, pending RFQs, supplier commitments, and delivery risks. • Support new product introduction, engineering changes, urgent builds, and customer-driven program requirements. Supplier Management & RFQ Control• Lead RFQ activities, supplier quotation comparison, cost analysis, and sourcing recommendations. • Review supplier quotations for price, currency, MOQ, lead time, payment terms, delivery terms, and validity. • Prepare supplier comparison reports and support management decision-making. • Maintain supplier communication records, quotation files, purchase order records, and sourcing documentation. • Escalate supplier risks and propose recovery actions where delivery, cost, or quality issues arise. Cost Control & Supply Chain Reporting• Identify cost-saving opportunities through negotiation, alternative sourcing, supplier consolidation, and better purchasing controls. • Monitor procurement spend, material cost trends, price variances, and supplier-related cost impact. • Prepare supply chain reports covering RFQ status, PO status, shortage status, supplier performance, delivery commitments, and cost-saving progress. • Support inventory optimisation by balancing material availability, lead time risk, excess stock, and cash flow impact. • Drive continuous improvement in purchasing workflow, supplier follow-up discipline, and supply chain visibility. Cross-Functional Program Coordination• Act as the key coordination point between internal departments and suppliers for assigned programs. • Support customer delivery commitments by ensuring supply chain issues are identified, tracked, and resolved promptly. • Coordinate internal action plans for shortage recovery, urgent purchases, supplier escalation, and delivery prioritisation. • Provide management with clear updates on program risks, material gaps, supplier blockers, and recommended next actions. • Support audits, compliance checks, and ad-hoc operational requirements where needed. Requirements• Relevant experience in purchasing, supply chain, procurement, program coordination, or materials management. • Experience in electronics manufacturing, contract manufacturing, engineering, cable harness, mechanical, or production environments will be an advantage. • Strong understanding of RFQ, purchase orders, supplier negotiation, quotation comparison, lead time control, inventory planning, and supplier follow-up. • Able to manage multiple suppliers, part numbers, purchase orders, and program priorities at the same time. • Strong analytical ability with good cost-control, reporting, and problem-solving skills. • Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Word, Outlook, and procurement tracking tools. • Experience with ERP, MRP, inventory systems, or supply chain dashboards will be an advantage. • Good communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to work across departments and with external suppliers. • Highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to operate under time-sensitive production or customer delivery pressure. • Strong ownership mindset with the ability to follow through until issues are fully closed. Preferred Attributes• Experience handling electronic components, cables, harnesses, PCB assemblies, mechanical parts, sheet metal, or manufacturing consumables. • Familiarity with shortage management, supplier escalation, RFQ tracking, cost-down projects, and production material planning. • Able to prepare management-ready reports for open PO status, supplier response, material risk, and cost-saving opportunities. • Comfortable using digital tools and AI-assisted workflows to improve RFQ processing, supplier communication, and procurement reporting. • Able to operate as both a buyer and a program coordinator, balancing commercial control with delivery execution.