Job Details

Buyer - Civil Engineering / Aggregates

My client is a well-established and growing civil engineering contractor based in Birmingham, delivering high-quality infrastructure and groundworks projects across the Midlands. Due to continued expansion, they are looking to recruit an experienced Buyer to join their commercial/procurement team.

The Role

As a Buyer, you will be responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and purchasing aggregates, materials, and plant to support multiple live projects, ensuring cost efficiency, quality, and timely delivery. The role also involves coordinating waste disposal routes and logistics in line with environmental and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Procuring materials in line with project requirements and programmes
• Sourcing and managing aggregates, waste disposal solutions, and supply chain activities
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with suppliers, contractors, and key stakeholders
• Negotiating prices, terms, tipping rates, and supply agreements to achieve best value
• Managing purchase orders and ensuring accurate record keeping
• Organising and coordinating transport logistics to ensure cost-effective and timely movement of materials
• Monitoring market trends and identifying cost-saving opportunities
• Working closely with site teams, estimators, and commercial staff
• Ensuring all procurement and disposal activities comply with relevant environmental and regulatory standards

Requirements

• Essential: Strong and recent experience purchasing aggregates, related materials and plant
• Comprehensive working knowledge of UK Environment Agency regulations and governance, including waste management legislation, permitting requirements, duty of care, and environmental compliance
• Strong understanding of waste tipping locations, aggregates supply chains, and disposal routes, with established knowledge of key stakeholders to negotiate optimal tipping rates, aggregate costs, and procurement terms
• Proven ability to interpret Site Investigation (SI) reports and laboratory test results, with a clear understanding of industry testing criteria relevant to waste classification, soil analysis, and material compliance
• Experience in organising and coordinating transport logistics, ensuring cost-effective, compliant, and timely movement of materials
• Good knowledge of the supply chain within the Midlands region
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships both internally and externally, including suppliers, regulators, contractors, and clients
• Strong negotiation skills
• Highly organised with good attention to detail
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (experience with procurement systems is an advantage)

What We Offer

• Competitive salary (depending on experience)
• Company pension scheme
• Supportive and collaborative working environment
• Opportunity to grow with a forward-thinking contractor

About Us

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options.

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