Purchasing Assistant

We are recruiting for a Purchasing Assistant to join a Finance team at a well-established school in Maidenhead. This is a full-time role, working 40 hours per week Monday to Friday.

The successful candidate will need to have strong commercial awareness and understand the purchasing process. In addition, you will be financially astute working to support and develop the effective operation of the finance function within the school.

JOB PURPOSE:

• To be responsible for the day to day purchasing function across the School’s sites and support key financial functions within the Finance team

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Following best practices when working with both internal and external stakeholders
• Reviewing authorised purchase requests from teaching and ancillary staff
• Sourcing products from regular suppliers where special price is agreed, if not check for cheapest and reliable suppliers
• Raising and recording purchase orders, chasing of outstanding orders and delivery notes
• Returning unwanted deliveries promptly and monitoring issuance of supplier credit notes
• Checking supplier invoices against goods received
• Coding supplier invoices to nominal accounts
• Answering purchase ledger queries from suppliers and all site staff
• Maintaining purchase accounts records, including internal databases, lists and catalogues of supplies etc
• Maintaining authorised signatory records on all respective finance documents
• Managing record of purchases made that are to be recharged to pupils and ensuring this is kept up to date at all times and assist with queries relating this recharging process
• Identifying budget shortfalls and communicating same to appropriate site/department
• Preparing financial analysis on a quarterly basis to quantify savings garnered from using more economical suppliers or bulk discounts
• Undertake competitive price comparisons analysis to ensure contracted prices are in line with key suppliers’ offerings
• Undertaking routine administration including record keeping, archive control and filing

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• The ability to effectively communicate and work in partnership with both staff and suppliers
• A minimum of two years’ experience in a finance office is essential, ideally in a similar position
• Have experience of using computer systems, purchase order systems, including the operation of databases and spreadsheets.
• No finance qualification is required, however applicants with qualification(s) in a financial or business discipline will have a distinct advantage
• High level of Literacy / Numeracy
• Must have excellent organisation skills and an eye for detail
• The ability to prioritise workload
• Willing to 'roll sleeves up and get stuck in’, as required
• Committed to the protection and safeguarding of children and young people
• Recognises the importance of confidentiality

We regret that due to the high volume of applications we are unable to reply to everyone. If your application is successful we will contact you within 5 working days. If unfortunately you do not hear from us please feel free to apply for future roles.