EUROPEAN P2P/PROCURE TO PAY PROCUREMENT OPERATIONS MANAGER

“Excellent opportunity for graduate calibre SAP eProcurement specialist to develop a high performing team to drive P2P process improvement and best practice.”

£Competitive Excellent Benefits

Location: North West (with UK and Mainland European travel)
Commutable from Ellesmere Port, Mold, Wrexham, Birkenhead, Wallasey, Chester, Warrington, Runcorn, Widnes, Liverpool, Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Greater Manchester, Wigan, Newton le Willows, Leigh, Heywood, Skelmersdale.

The Client

Our client is a global multinational undergoing a period of transformation and change.
As part of a strategic transformation of the procurement function moving to a shared service and category management model across its global operating units, our client seeks to strengthen its team with the appointment of an ambitious, university degree educated SAP P2P/Procure to Pay Procurement Operations Manager.

Specifically, our client would like to significantly enhance its procurement capabilities and visibility, control and management of procurement spend through greater utilisation of its SAP and SAP P2P procurement technology. The focus will be on delivering efficiencies, centralised billing, market analysis, price checking, spend analytics and reporting, transparency and control, strategic cost management ultimately delivering maximised value and improved financial performance for the organisation.

As European SAP P2P/Procure to Pay Procurement Operations Manager you will be responsible for People Management, Process Ownership and Stakeholder Engagement. Accordingly, you will be expected to travel to work with your team and stakeholders located at two sites in the UK and two sites in mainland Europe.

The Role:

As SAP P2P/Procurement Operations Manager your role will be to:

• Lead a team of P2P Procurement Coordinators located in the UK and mainland Europe.
• Shape and sustain an effective and motivated team that delivers desired results (KPIs, internal customer satisfaction) by providing direction, coaching and developing team members, leveraging individual abilities and ensuring best practices are utilized.
• Coach your team to influence internal stakeholders to ensure that contracted suppliers are utilised wherever possible to ensure global efficiency.

As a Process Owner:

• Lead the initiation and delivery of transactional procurement activities within an international remit and constraints.
• You and your team will provide SAP P2P Procurement initiation across all categories of spend.
• Create and maintain SAP P2P Procurement procedures to ensure process excellence and standardisation.
• You will drive consistency and best practice across all European P2P locations.
• Through your team act provide first level support to internal operations in relation to supplier performance, working closely with Senior Buyers and Category Management to drive improvements.
• Manage and present performance indicators in internal operational reviews, analyse data & trends, implement continuous improvement.

As a Business Partner, working with key stakeholders and suppliers you will:

• Build and maintain a fluent relationship with key stakeholders such as Procurement and Category Management, IT, Plant managers, Governance and Control, to make sure that you understand their needs and work together to identify operating issues/non-efficiencies.
• Proactively assist with the ongoing roll out and management of Card Payments and other automation projects to reduce the number of SAP P2P transactions whilst also improving SAP P2P approval flows.
• Proactively contribute to the ongoing development of SAP P2P Procurement functional capabilities, ensuring sustainable value delivery and continual improvement of procurement effectiveness and efficiency.
• Interact with Senior Executives/Leadership teams to share performance updates, identified risks, issues or concerns, and helping drive best practices.

To be successful in this role you will need to possess:

• A university degree from a UK or European University. A Masters level would be highly advantageous.
• Plus CIPS qualification (minimum level 4) or equivalent.
• Previous experienced team leadership experience gained within a SAP P2P/Procure to Pay or Procurement or Finance Shared Services environment.
• A track record of mentoring, coaching, motivation and development of a SAP P2P procurement/finance shared services team.
• Experience of working across global operations or multi-site environments and a keen sense of cultural awareness.
• Excellent knowledge of SAP P2P gained from a procurement perspective.
• Extensive knowledge of procurement in a Buyer or Category or Purchasing role.
• A proven track record in value delivery, improvement activity and best practice development in SAP P2P Procurement processes.
• Outstanding capabilities in building relationships internally and externally to enable you to be successful in your role and to contribute to the development of our client as a world-class procurement organisation
• A thirst for knowledge, an inquisitive mind-set and drive for results.
• Resilience, energy and willingness to travel nationally and into Europe in order to engage with your team and key stakeholders in your quest to drive and deliver SAP P2P Procurement Process Excellence.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

To apply without delay, please email your CV, quoting reference J13613.

DIVISIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGER

“Excellent career development opportunity with global multinational, with manufacturing and logistics sites throughout the UK, for a graduate calibre, chartered Health & Safety professional to lead a regional best in class health and safety function within one of their rapidly expanding business units”

C £35000 Car Allowance & Benefits

Location: West Midlands

Commutable from Atherstone, Nuneaton, Tamworth, Dordon, Coventry, Bedworth, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Stratford on Avon, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Cannock, Rugeley, Burton upon Trent, Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Solihull, Nuneaton, Lichfield, Ashby de la Zouche, Leicester, Coventry, Rugby, Lutterworth


Our client is a major diversified industrial group, part of a global multinational, specialising in the B2B sector. Safety is their first and foremost objective in all its activities. It operates a number of manufacturing and logistics sites throughout the UK and is seeking a Divisional Health and Safety Manager to take the lead within one of their specialist business units which is experiencing growth both organic and via acquisition.

Our client is seeking a graduate calibre, NEBOSH qualified, chartered IOSH Health and Safety professional with a track gained within a multinational, multi-site, matrix organisation, who will be experienced in working closely with stakeholders at senior executive, including the Group Health & Safety Manager on a regular basis within the business unit, the group and the plc.

As Divisional Health & Safety Manager, you will report to the Group Health & Safety and will take responsibility for health and safety at three manufacturing units located in Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Warwickshire. Each unit specialises in the manufacture and supply of a range of high quality architectural products produced from stainless steel sheet and extruded aluminium for use in major construction projects large and small in the UK and overseas. Therefore, experience of health and safety within a similar manufacturing environment using processes such as metal welding’s, precision CNC fabrication and forming would be useful. As a critical health and safety business partner you will specifically support, challenge, inspire and coach the leadership teams across each manufacturing site and their line management in terms of delivering the health & safety strategy across their facility. The focus will be on the development of a highly effective, best in class health and safety culture, values, behaviours, systems and processes; ensuring zero harm; ongoing legal compliance and excellent organisational and business unit health and safety standards in line with 18001 and transition to 45001 Certification.

The Role:

• To guide, support and lead business unit leadership and their line management in the creation and delivery of the health and safety strategy and roadmap.
• To guide and support the business unit teams in the compliance and monitoring of all health and safety standards, policies, procedures and management systems.
• Ensure that safety improvement plans are developed within the business unit implemented and monitored across all sites in compliance with UK legal requirements and corporate health and safety strategy.
• Providing expertise, leadership and specialist advice to your health and safety advisory team and business unit management teams as required.
• Training, guidance and coaching to line managers to enable them to understand and effectively utilise the health and safety management system, in accordance with ISO 18001 certification and the transfer to ISO 45001.
• Support and enable effective critical and high potential incident investigations to be completed by line managers in order to identify the immediate and underlying causes and the appropriate corrective/preventative actions.
• To provide the appropriate level of challenge and help in developing actions to avoid repeat incidents.
• Facilitate the effective communication of health and safety issues and learning points generated by the business unit across the whole group in the UK and with industry bodies.
• To identify themes and help develop, implement and monitor health and safety strategies which will help to continually improve the business unit’s health and safety performance year on year.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Of graduate calibre i.e. HNC/HND, BA, BEng, BSc, MSc
• NEBOSH qualified
• Chartered IOSH member
• Consistent career history within health and safety management roles in large, multi-site, corporate environment within manufacturing and logistics. Clear understanding and belief in behavioural based safety and visible felt leadership.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills, experienced in persuading and influencing stakeholders at business unit leadership and operational, group and plc level.
• Up to date knowledge of current UK legislation including OSHAS 18001:2007
• Excellent analytical and strategic influencing skills and track record of continuously and proactively improving health and safety standards.
• Recent experience of managing 2-3 small to medium sized individual manufacturing or processing units.
• Good coaching and mentoring skills.
• Proven experience of health and safety systems development tailored to business operational and strategic needs including risk mitigation and incident investigation.
• Strong health and safety management system auditing experience.
• A highly responsive, supportive and inspirational critical health and safety business partner. A real committed team player.
• Professional, discrete, diplomatic and tactful at all times.
• Experienced in dealing with regulatory bodies.
• Computer literate including Excel and Powerpoint.

In return our client offers a unique opportunity to impact and shape the health and safety culture and performance of a high profile business unit.

NORTHERN REGION SPECIFICATION SALES MANAGER

Construction/Architectural Components

c£40 - 45000 upto 30% bonus Car/Allowance Benefits

Location: North West

Commutable from Manchester, Stockport, Cheshire, Lancashire, Liverpool, Cumbria

Our client is a market leader in the supply of access and physical security solutions to the industrial and commercial sector including hotels, hospitals/care homes, university student accommodation, commercial and residential developments, factories, distribution centres, high rise buildings, swimming pools, airports, shopping centres, interior design and fit out sector working with architects, specifiers and main contractors.

This is a newly created position to support our client's growth plans for its range of products and solutions in the UK industrial and commercial specification sales market. They wish to increase their coverage and brand recognition in the North West, North England and Scottish Borders with the appointment of a regionally located Specification Sales Manager including a Northern Region Specification Sales Manager to cover the Northern England and Scottish Borders region.

The role will be focused on new business development, key account and project management promoting our client’s full range of security and access solutions to architects and specifiers concerned with long term strategic projects in relation to multiyear design and construction development projects. Your background therefore will be in specification sales, building relationships with architects, main and sub-contractors, including technical discussions concerning the product, its design and installation. You will have a strong established network of contacts in the construction sector in physical security, access solutions, dry lining, roofing or similar construction components.

The Role:

• Based from a home office, and reporting to the Sales Director, you will foster and promote sales throughout the North West and Northern Regions.
• Call on current and prospective customers, architects or engineers to explain the advantages of our client’s products and capabilities. Assist in defining project requirements, influencing the preparation of specifications or matching products with existing specifications. Communicate our client’s value proposition in comparison with other similar competitor products in the marketplace.
• Analyse major construction job requirements for special or unique applications and provide technical input to arrive at an engineered solution. Use sketches, drawings and calculations to focus on requirements, and provide best options. Work as liaison between the customer and our client’s Head Office to expedite or resolve final design requirements.
• Maintain tracking system and follow up all calls and enquiries to ensure orders are closed. Analyse any problems presented by the customer, develop solutions and assist in resolving concerns.
• Work closely with design and technical teams to develop strategic pricing for major contracts and partnering agreements when required.
• Maintain effective, ongoing relationship with repeat and key account customers whether concerned with short term or long term strategic projects.
• Monitor competitor activity and market trends within the territory for both short term wins as well as long term strategic projects.
• Participate in identifying new markets or new needs for existing products, and new market needs for new products. Participate in the development of specific sales strategies to increase sales of individual products / product lines.
• Prepare and present PowerPoint or other presentations at CPD roadshow events, seminars, or conferences to communicate the advantages of our client’s products.

The Ideal Candidate:

• University degree/graduate calibre education or similar required, e.g. BSc, HND, HNC.
• Currently undertaking a similar field based Specification Sales, hunting and consultative selling role within construction products e.g. roofing, doors, physical security, access solutions, dry lining or similar in the North West region. Experience of other architectural products will be considered.
• Will have extensive knowledge of the construction sector and will possess an established network of contacts within the North West and Northern regions for both long term and short term projects.
• Experience must include drafting of specifications and building relationships with architects, main contractors and engineers including CPD presentations and technical discussions.
• Confident and articulate, with good written and verbal communication skills at both architect, engineer and site levels.
• Ability to manage all projects through from enquiry to installation, maintaining contact at all stages.
• Detail oriented and familiar with CRM systems.
• Familiar with construction site visits to undertake inspections and develop relationships and knowledge within the territory.
• Computer literate including Excel, Powerpoint and CRM systems.

SALES EXECUTIVE – MODULAR BUILDING CONSTRUCTON SOLUTIONS

C£35-45000 (Dependent On Experience) Car/Allowance Benefits

Location: Southern Home Counties/Central Region – Field Based role offering mix of office and home working

Commutable locations: Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Bristol and Avon, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, North London

Our client is one of the UK’s fastest growing players within the modular building solutions sector. Established for several decades, they operate manufacturing facilities across the UK. They offer smart, turnkey and bespoke construction packages to many sectors including house building, health, education, research/technology parks, industrial and commercial office space on a sale or hire basis.

As part of its ongoing growth plans, our client wishes to strengthen its UK sales team with the appointment of a Sales Executive to cover the Southern Home Counties and Central Region. Candidates who live close to the A34/M4/M3/M40/M42/M5/M6 corridors may find this a particularly interesting prospect.

Experience as a Sales Executive in the following sectors would be particularly interesting – modular buildings both interim hire or permanent sales for classrooms, offices, hospitals, healthcare, construction, manufacturing. In addition, candidates with experience of supplying portable buildings, cabins, cabin hire. Also, other off-site solutions such as volumetric, timber frame or light steel frame would also be of interest.

You must be familiar with hire and sale agreements under framework contracts for public sector clients. Our client’s customer base does also include private sector clients so experience of sales and hire into this vertical would be also be essential.

The Role:

To develop business activity in relation to modular construction solutions for sale and hire to health, education, residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors in the UK.

• To develop new modular opportunities for sale and hire in England and Wales.
• To champion the Barbour ABI, Glenigans and any other market information software and update the CRM system in capturing timely and accurate information from these tools which drives the sales and marketing objectives of the business
• Develop contacts and relationships with the key stakeholders to achieve quarterly and annual modular sales and hire targets to Education, Commercial, Health, and Infrastructure Sectors
• Develop and present business solutions and proposals to potential new customers
• To produce weekly and monthly pipeline sales figures for respective sales meetings as requested by the Sales Director
• To manage and deal with customer enquiries
• To liaise with internal technical support to deliver timely quotation and bid proposals for prospective customers
• To analyse margins and report on variations
• Present the company at all association trade shows and exhibitions.
• As required, liaise with Design, Manufacturing and Contract Managers to ensure projects delivered on time and within budget.
• Work with the wider cross functional team in design, estimating, projects, manufacturing and operations to effectively represent and grow the business and contribute to the culture of innovation and continuous improvement

The Ideal Person:
 

• A good standard of education including excellent numeracy and literacy.
• An experienced Sales/Business Development Executive ideally within the Modular construction sector.
• A proven track record of achievement of sales and business development results
• Background in selling ‘solutions’ – both hire and permanent solutions
• Ability to build good customer relationships and think creatively
• Experience of sales to a variety of private and public sector clients across the following verticals - health, education, commercial, housebuilding, research and technology parks and infrastructure sectors
• Able to work independently
• Self-motivated to work in a target driven environment and maintaining a positive attitude
• Competitive spirit with a passion for sales
• Fast learner in a complex and competitive environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication, relationship building and problem-solving abilities
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Full UK driving licence

FLUENT GERMAN SPEAKER - SENIOR BUYER/PURCHASING TEAM LEADER- ENGINEERING & CAPITAL PROJECTS BUYING TEAM

“Exciting continuous improvement role for fluent German Speaking, Degree educated, experienced Senior Buyer to lead Engineering & Capital Projects Buying Team for Global Energy Company”

C€Very Competitive Excellent Blue Chip Benefits

Location: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany – Relocation Assistance available

Our client is a global player within the specialist energy, electricity and power generation sector.

This is a fantastic career development opportunity for a fluent German speaker/German national.

As part of a strategic transformation of the procurement function across its global operating units, our client seeks to strengthen its German team with the appointment of an innovative and creative Senior Buyer and Purchasing Team Leader for its indirect, engineering and capital projects buying team.

This is a key appointment at Country level and you will be based at a large processing plant working closely with senior cross functional stakeholders at executive leader level including Plant Manager and Finance Manager.

In addition, you will also work closely with centralised global category management, project procurement and P2P functions across Europe. The ideal candidate will possess a track record as a Senior Buyer, Category Manager or Purchasing Manager specialising in indirect and engineering categories. Experience of managing a team of Buyers will be essential for success in this role.

Experience will ideally have been gained within a best in class global multinational, matrix organisation. Experience of SAP would be advantageous.

The Role:

• Lead, manage, motivate, coach, develop and empower a team of three Buyers specialising in indirect and engineering based categories.
• Plan, organise, lead and control the work of the German purchasing team to ensure that objectives are achieved and services are delivered to the customers/stakeholders.
• Contribute to purchasing strategy for engineering and capital projects
• Work closely with business leaders to position the business for future growth
• Leverage expertise and know how to improve purchasing’s critical processes
• Define and implement procurement and supply chain procedures and policies in line with group and category strategies
• Shape and manage supplier relationships to ensure value is delivered including value definition, value creation including opportunity development and supply chain execution process; value capture including governance and compliance management and value protection to mitigate risk.
• Management of purchasing, tactical buying, sourcing and supplier management activities to achieve cost efficient, accurate and on time purchases, including compliance to corporate purchasing policies
• Improve value adding capabilities of the indirect and engineering procurement function through best practice, cost savings, cost avoidance and spend control
• Identify, drive, implement and sustain indirect and engineering procurement focused process improvements and cost efficiency
• Actively seek improvements in supply chain activities and performance, primarily through coordination and collaboration with Supply Chain and Category Management team
• Develop reports enabling tracking of Supply Chain performance against KPI's
• Negotiate and implement supplier SLA's to meet business requirements
• Establish, implement and manage system to evaluate, monitor and report supplier scorecard performance
• Manage supplier audits from an operational capability standpoint
• Lead the purchasing team to deliver business reviews with key suppliers
• Lead the purchasing team to manage supplier accreditation activities, customer supplier support and issue resolution related to requisitions, purchase orders and goods receipts

The Ideal Candidate:

• Fluent in German and happy to relocate (with assistance) to North West Germany.
• University Degree educated in Engineering or Science or similar plus Post Graduate level qualification in Procurement and/or Master’s Degree.
• At least 5-7 years consistent, fast track career development within a Senior Buyer, Category Manager or Procurement Management roles focused on indirect and engineering categories.
• At least 18 months leadership experience within procurement in order to manage an experienced team of buyers.
• Experience of working cross functionally within a global multinational matrix environment. This could include oil and gas, energy, utilities, mining and minerals exploration, or capital-intensive industrial manufacturing sectors such as steel or construction materials. FMCG or pharmaceutical sector experience will also be considered if the focus is on indirect, engineering or capital projects focused procurement.
• You be highly motivated to deliver change and transformation and your career to date will be characterised by your ability to engage cross functional teams and global/pan European procurement, engineering and project management colleagues to achieve this.
• You will be confident and experienced in preparing, presenting and justifying business cases to senior executive level.
• Track record of building successful relationships internally and externally to contribute to the development of our client as a world-class procurement organisation
• A knowledge of Procurement systems and technologies and the ability to put operational measures in place to ensure contracts deliver brilliantly.
• Strong purchasing background with proven experience in the areas of project management, supplier readiness and day to day supply base management and demonstrated negotiations capability
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a multinational matrix organisation, work collaboratively with colleagues, and get results through others
• Excellent skills and experience in purchasing operations and strategic sourcing with ability to demonstrate strong project management and negotiation skills in a manufacturing environment
• Must welcome responsibility, challenge and decision making
• Self starter and a team player who will thrive in a regulated environment
• Creates a positive working environment by demonstrating and sharing functional/technical expertise/knowledge
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, emphasising interpersonal, group presentation and team facilitation skills
• Fluent in spoken and written Business English and (native) German language

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and blue-chip benefits package and the opportunity to develop your career within a market leader. Interviews will be held in the UK and Germany as applicable.

REGIONAL TECHNICAL MANAGER RMX (READY MIX CONCRETE) NORTH & SCOTLAND

“Career development opportunity for RMX (Ready Mix Concrete) Technical Manager with UK Market Leader.”

C£45-55000 (Dependent on Experience) Car, Bonus & Blue-Chip Benefits

Location: Regional Field Based role

Your current location could be: Cheshire, North Wales, Derbyshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Humberside, Durham, Northumberland, Borders, Lothian, Strathclyde, Dumfries & Galloway

Our client is a division of a large and well-respected FTSE 100 international group specialising in construction materials. They are a market leader within the RMX (Ready Mix Concrete) marketplace. This is an excellent career development opportunity for a RMX Technical Manager seeking a higher profile with a greater commercial involvement in a larger regional role.

As Regional Technical Manager for the North of England and Scotland, you will manage and control the technical performance of RMX (Ready Mix Concrete) products.

This is a varied, complex and rewarding position that requires experience in developing and managing people, plus a good understanding and knowledge of the RMX business, mix design packages and customer requirements. Our client requires knowledge of quality management systems and an understanding of the relationship between technical, commercial and production functions of RMX.

The Role:

• Reporting directly to a Senior Executive for the Northern region, you will have responsibility for ensuring that the RMX technical teams deliver the service required by the business to ensure full support for products, plants and customers.
• The role will also have overall responsibility for ensuring that the RMX business maintains customer status at a regional level. You will be the link between the operating plants and the central RMX team.
• The role will ensure that mix designs are optimised and that VAP's (Value Added Products) are produced in a manner to help increase overall margins.
• You will provide technical leadership and training to the operational teams. You will also work closely with your commercial colleagues, delivering alternative design and product proposals to key clients such as main contractors, ensuring the balance of quality, cost and best value to the business.
• You will be responsible for ensuring that quality standards are achieved and that exposure to contractual risk and remedial issues are minimised. You will also be involved in contract vetting and review to offer best value engineering solutions and promote the use of high-performance special products.
• In addition, you will deliver technical training and product knowledge workshops to internal colleagues in commercial and operations and also externally to main contractor clients.
• The successful candidate will have a consistent track record within RMX (Ready Mix Concrete) which includes the management of a team of multi product District/Area Technical Managers and Technicians maintaining product quality standards.
• Most importantly this will include the promotion of working safely and in accordance with corporate health, safety and environmental standards as well as adhering to all relevant quality assurance standards.
• This will also have included experience of overseeing plant optimisation projects to ensure efficient operations and best value products are improved upon. Experience of implementing new product trials and promoting proprietary materials.
• It will also be important that you have experience in managing, investigating, resolving and reporting customer quality complaints including measuring and reporting technical KPI’s, conducting RMX plant quality audits, highlighting non-compliance, identifying improvements

Person Specification:

• Currently working within a RMX (Ready Mix Concrete) Technical Management role.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the concrete especially ready-mix concrete, aggregates and asphalt industry.
• City & Guilds Concrete Technology Part I and Part II essential.
• Strong chemistry/chemical engineering knowledge perhaps having commenced career as a Technician within a Aggregates, Asphalt, Concrete or Cement laboratory.
• Track record within an Area, District or Regional technical role managing a number of RMX (Ready Mix Concrete) plants.
• Experience of presenting to, collaborating and negotiating with main construction contractors supplying a range of market sectors including housing, commercial, industrial, military, nuclear and infrastructure projects
• Experienced in quotation and contract review to ensure compliance with specifications.
• Commercially astute and able to proactively identify value added/performance product sales opportunities.
• Excellent, influencing and cross functional team working skills including close collaboration with sales/commercial and operational production teams as well as technical colleagues.
• Experienced in managing, investigating, resolving and reporting customer quality complaints including measuring and reporting technical KPI’s, conducting RMX plant quality audits, highlighting non-compliance, identifying improvements.
• Excellent geographical knowledge across the North of England and upto the Central Belt of Scotland.

ASPHALT DESIGN SUPPORT TECHNOLOGIST

“Civil Engineering/Engineering & Materials Science Graduate with Asphalt Technical Experience Required for fantastic career development role within UK market leader.”

Location: National Field Based Role (Flexible Home & Office Base)

C£30,000 Car Excellent Benefits

Our client is a market leader within the Aggregates and Asphalt sector with many innovative and sustainable products and solutions for infrastructure and the built environment.

As a result of promotion, our client is now seeking a degree educated Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Engineering or Materials Science graduate to join their national technical team as an Asphalt Design Support Technologist. You will be responsible for delivering product and pavement design support initially internally and then to external customers.

You will be confident and professional in outlook, exhibiting the potential to interface and collaborate with internal technical specialists and externally with designers and asset owners to understand how best their needs can be met through the application of our client’s outstanding product range and expertise.

This is a national field-based role and therefore your office base can be flexible, either working from one of our client regional offices or from home. It is essential that you possess a UK driving licence as you will be travelling regularly throughout the week to meet National and Regional Technical colleagues at aggregate and asphalt production facilities. To succeed in this role, you must have at least eighteen months asphalt technical experience gained in a technician, quality or similar role.

You must have a demonstrable interest in pursuing a long-term career in highways construction industry and the associated highways materials and specifications covering aggregates, asphalt, HBM, RCC and Airfields. In return our client will invest in your training and development to help you to achieve your career ambitions.

The Role:

·Develop a comprehensive knowledge of asphalt technical operations for aggregate and asphalt production and supply.
·Provide specialist technical support nationally to National and Regional Technical Managers, Area Technical Managers and their teams, in relation to asphalt material specifications, standards and regulatory requirements.
·Undertake result analysis and reporting of physical and mechanical testing of asphalt materials.
·Ensuring that Construction Products Regulations (CPR) are applied.
·Management of aggregate and asphalt design databases and mix design approval and validation.
·Identify and support suitable asphalt product development activities.
·Provide briefings for National and Regional Technical Managers, Area Technical Managers and their teams on new aggregate and asphalt product developments.
·Evaluate new aggregate and asphalt materials and advise on their potential for material cost reduction and production efficiency
·Advise on the production of new products and where appropriate, more suitable, sustainable or economically beneficial alternatives
·Provide support to National and Regional Technical Managers, Area Technical Managers and their teams in respect of the introduction of new, improved or modified aggregate and asphalt products including advice on process efficiency, costs and planning.
·Support internal sales teams and external customers with asphalt related enquiries, suggesting more suitable, sustainable and economically beneficial alternatives.

Person Specification:

·University degree educated in Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Engineering, Materials Sciences or similar.
·At least eighteen months asphalt technical experience gained in a technician, quality or similar role.
·Currently working within construction materials sector and specifically with Asphalt/Bitumen products.
·Experienced in the sampling and testing of asphalt and bituminous materials.
·Interested in further developing your knowledge and appreciation of technical operations within the aggregates and asphalt industry
·Familiarity with British and European standards such as BS-EN 12697.
·This role would suit a proactive and enthusiastic individual who has the ability to work on their own initiative but is also equally comfortable working within a team environment.
·This is a role based on ensuring that our materials are at a high quality so attention to detail is crucial as is a desire for continuous improvement.
·Ability to perform and understand asphalt volumetric mix design and quality control processes, specifications ideal.
·Working familiarity with asphalt plant operation, controls, automation and mechanisms.
·Able to communicate effectively with asphalt production, operation and construction crews and colleagues.
·Ability to perform under pressure to troubleshoot and problem solve.
·Confident personality and drive to build long term sustainable B2B relationships
·Experience of different types of bitumen and additives and polymers would be advantageous.
·Demonstrate strong commercial acumen and a personal hunger and drive to succeed.
·Planning, organising and time management skills.
·Good ability to communicate with customers and colleagues. Collaborative and consultative style.
·Computer literate especially Excel and PowerPoint.
·Excellent longer-term career development opportunities with our multinational client into broader sales roles or into research and development, pavement design or QC.

TEST LABORATORY MANAGER - TESTING & CERTIFICATION

“Career development and leadership opportunity for commercially focused Test & Certification specialist with best in class experience in mechanical and electrical test engineering or other disciplines, including chemical, metallurgical, forensics etc to UK and International Standards”

Salary: c£40,000 Excellent Large Company Benefits

Location: Wolverhampton

Commutable from Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stafford, Stone, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Lichfield, Tamworth, Stoke on Trent, Telford, Shrewsbury, Droitwich, Redditch, Worcester, Coventry, Warwick, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Crewe

Our client is a well-established and respected manufacturer of fixtures, fittings and components both mechanical and electronic in the home and building infrastructure products sector. Highly acquisitive and experiencing excellent growth, the company is based in a brand-new office, distribution centre and test centre complex in the West Midlands close to the M6/M54 but has operational facilities and subsidiaries nationally and globally.

They are now seeking to strengthen their Test Centre team with the appointment of a Manager to head up their brand-new Test & Certification facility. Our client offers testing and certification services both on an in-house basis to internal group companies and also to external customers including other manufacturers of mechanical, electrical and electronic components and products, in line with industry and national and international standards and certifications.  The role also encompasses management of product certification schemes to ensure continuity of compliance and maximise value from product certifications

Testing equipment is predominantly pneumatic, hydraulic plus electrical/electronic includes tensile and other strength tests. 

The Role:

You will manage our client’s brand-new Test Engineering Centre, ensuring that internal and external customer needs are met, providing an exemplary service, managing product certification scheme to ensure continuity of compliance and maximum value from product certifications. The role is as much about team management as technical competence.

• Promote and maintain compliance with procedural requirements and best practice for safety, health and environmental factors associated with testing operations, ensuring suitable provision is made for the identification of hazards and management of risks
• Develop & maintain the necessary systems and competencies within the testing team to manage daily operations, testing scheduling, and quote and report generation
• Promote and maintain professional standards of service.
• Manage the testing capacity to suitably cater for customer indicative, UKAS accredited, competitor analysis, development and audit test requirements.
• Develop & maintain the necessary systems and competencies within the testing team to manage daily operations, testing scheduling, and quote and report generation
• Preparation of audit test samples for our client’s certified product testing.
• Maintain a test quotation and booking service with transparent lead times and manage the provision of testing to agreed service levels.
• Maintenance and development of UKAS accredited ISO 17025 Laboratory management system, manuals, procedures and accreditation requirements.
• Identification and implementation of testing service improvements including scope of service and efficiency
• Promotion of our client’s testing services within the industry to maximise value.
• Development and maintenance of our client’s product certifications including CE marking, Kitemark and Certify product schemes, and product specific testing evidence.
• Monitor and evaluate developments within industry testing and product standards, identifying threats and opportunities and liaising with key stakeholders.
• Represent our client’s testing services at the Test House Studies Group.
• A key area is the day to day management and development of the Test Engineers and Team Leader to ensure flexibility and a high quality of service.
• Maintain good relationships internally with key members of executive team as well as customers and external bodies.

The Background:

• Degree/HNC/HND educated in Mechanical or Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Forensics or similar.
• Experience of Electrical/Electronic Engineering advantageous. Experience could be gained in mechanical, electronic, chemicals, biological, metals sectors or forensics.
• Currently working within a similar specialist testing team or alternatively as part of a quality or product development function within a manufacturing environment but keen to develop career further into testing and certification.
• Experienced leading and motivating engineers including apprentices is essential.
• Experience of BSI standards essential.
• Customer facing experience essential – this could be external customers or internal customers within different product or manufacturing divisions of the same organisation.
• Experience of planning resource allocation and creating and presenting reports.
• Structured problem-solving techniques, including analysis and corrective and preventative action identification
• Ability to technically appraise company and competitor products.

In return our client offers a competitive salary plus pension, 25 days holiday and the option to choose from a wide variety of other benefits offered by our client.