An established and well-regarded manufacturing business based in Fareham is looking to appoint an experienced Purchasing Manager to oversee and manage the procurement of materials and inventory critical to production and customer delivery.This is a key role within the business, responsible for ensuring material availability, supplier performance, cost control and stock accuracy, while leading and developing a small purchasing function. As Purchasing Manager, you will take ownership of purchasing operations, stock control and supplier management, working closely with production and sales teams to support business performance and customer service.Key ResponsibilitiesManage the end-to-end purchasing process to ensure materials are available to meet production and sales demandRun and maintain stock requisition and planning processesEnsure inventory accuracy, including stock takes and month-end adjustmentsInvestigate and resolve stock discrepancies and negative stock issuesExpedite late deliveries and manage supplier performanceNegotiate pricing, lead times, delivery schedules and payment terms with suppliersDrive supplier consolidation and re-sourcing initiatives to improve efficiency and costEnsure vendor lead times and system data are accurate and up to dateLead, support and motivate a Purchasing AssistantSupport continuous improvement across purchasing and inventory processesWork collaboratively with other departments to meet operational objectivesSkills and Knowledge Required