Buyer

We are Developments , part of the Places for People Group. We're a social enterprise that believes it's more than just homes that make a community – it's the people. That's why we build homes and manage communities where everyone can thrive.

We aren't your typical company. We apply the same philosophy to our People as we do to our communities, ensuring our team is appreciated and supported. At Places for People, you're more than just a number – you're part of our cause.

This is a real opportunity for someone to grow with the business, and you would be joining at the start of this growth transformation with the ability to influence and be part of the success.

Please note: This role will be based out of our Kings Cross office two days per week with the remaining days made up of home working & occasional site visits throughout our Southeast patch. A company car or car allowance will be included in this role.

More about your role

Working within the regional Commercial team, this is an essential role. You will be expected to support with project planning and scheduling, procurement, supplier selection & commissioning, client-facing activities, and cost management and reporting. With a strong working knowledge of the Housebuilding industry and construction process , you will be involved in multiple projects and be expected to support these at varying stages of the pre-construction and construction phases.

For more information, please download our job profile available on our website.

More about you

It is essential that you have experience within an Assistant Buyer or Buyer role in the Housebuilding sector .

You will carry out the procurement of relevant house building material and plant packages in line with regional timescales and build programmes, including all such packages to support the set-up and daily activities of each site. You will have strong negotiation skills, an analytical mindset, and experience with ERP systems, such as COINS.

You will be experienced in scheduling material requirements and liaising directly with the supply chain to maintain knowledge of materials, material lead times, and availability to ensure that materials are procured in line with the core principles of procurement.

Ideally educated to a minimum of NVQ Level 3 with a qualification relevant to construction. CIPS is also desirable.

This role is a highl y collaborative and cross functional , and you will need the ability to work as part of a close-knit management team and manage numerous activities/projects simultaneously – both short and long term. You will work with a few internal and external stakeholders and will need to be able to evidence at interview where you have built long-term relationships using your strong influencing and negotiation skills.

The benefits

We are a large, diverse, and ambitious business, which will give you job security and all the challenge you could wish for. Here people can flourish, thrive, better themselves and work in fantastic communities with inspirational colleagues and customers.

We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to help colleagues save money or make their lives a little bit easier, which can include:

• Bonus

• Company Car/Allowance

• Excellent holiday pay and sick pay

• Pension with matched contributions

• Training

• Extra perks including huge discounts and offers from shops, cinemas and much more

What's next?

If you meet the criteria and are ready to make the next step in your career then apply following our simple 5 minute application process, upload a CV and a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the requirements of the role. If you have any questions please email the recruitment team [email protected]

As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we offer a guaranteed interview to candidates who are disabled, neurodiverse, or have served in the Armed Forces, provided you meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to be considered under this scheme, please indicate this in your application. 

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview experience, please let us know. We're happy to work with you to ensure you have the opportunity to perform at your best.

If you are a Places for People customer and you're looking for support with your application, please contact our skills and employment team on [email protected] .

Please note that we may bring the closing date forward, if we receive a large number of quality applications. If you are interested in this role we would advise applying immediately to avoid disappointment.

If you are using a mobile device such as an iPad then ensure your CV is stored in the cloud, we currently support Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox.

If you are a recruitment agency please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls.

Safeguarding

At Places for People, safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We are committed to creating safe communities for our customers and colleagues by protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from harm, abuse, and neglect.

We follow robust safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring all employees, volunteers, and contractors uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and accountability. Our recruitment process includes pre-employment checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where applicable, to promote a safe and secure working environment.

By joining Places for People, you are expected to contribute to our safeguarding culture, following our policies and reporting concerns to protect those in our communities