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Purchasing Officer – Residential Construction Company (Hybrid Role)

Location: Cobh (3 days office / 2 days WFH)
Employment Type: Permanent
Level: Experienced (3+ years in procurement, construction or residential development preferred)

About the Opportunity

A highly successful and expanding residential developer in Cork is seeking a Purchasing Officer to join the business in a newly created role. This is a rare opportunity to build the purchasing function from the ground up, shaping systems, processes, supplier relationships, and procurement strategy as the company scales.

You will play a central role in ensuring cost‑effective, timely, and high‑quality procurement of materials, subcontract services, and project support items across multiple live and upcoming housing developments.

If you’re a proactive, commercially minded procurement professional who enjoys autonomy, process creation, and driving best‑practice standards — this is the perfect next step.

Key Responsibilities

Building the Purchasing Function

• Develop and implement procurement systems, workflows, templates, and policies from day one.
• Introduce purchasing controls, approval pathways, coding structures, and reporting tools.
• Support the future rollout of digital procurement or ERP‑linked systems.

Procurement & Purchasing

• Source, select, and negotiate with suppliers and subcontractors across key residential trades and materials.
• Prepare and issue purchase orders, ensuring accuracy in specifications, timelines, and pricing.
• Manage supplier pricing, discounts, lead times, and framework agreements.
• Assist with tendering for packages where required.
• Build and maintain a strong supplier database.

Commercial & Cost Control

• Monitor cost trends and identify value‑engineering opportunities.
• Work closely with QS, site teams, and project managers to ensure budgets and procurement plans align.
• Support cost forecasting and procurement reporting for senior management.

Supplier Management

• Develop strong working relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors.
• Track supplier performance, quality, delivery reliability, and compliance.
• Address queries, discrepancies, or delivery issues.

Internal Collaboration

• Liaise with site managers to ensure material delivery schedules support programme timelines.
• Collaborate with finance to ensure accurate invoicing, reconciliations, and payment processing.
• Communicate clearly between design, commercial, and construction teams regarding material choices, specifications, and alternatives.

About You

Essential Experience

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain (construction/residential preferred).
• Proven ability to set up and improve procurement processes.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and cost‑control skills.
• Excellent accuracy, organisation, and attention to detail.

Desirable

• Experience with residential building materials and subcontractor procurement.
• Familiarity with purchasing or ERP systems.
• Strong Excel skills and comfort working with data and reporting.

Personal Attributes

• Self‑starter with the confidence to take ownership of a new function.
• Strong communicator and relationship builder.
• Commercially savvy and solutions‑focused.
• Enjoys autonomy, structure creation, and continuous improvement.