Lead Buyer - Manila

Our 30-year journey rides on the passion of over 27,000 seafarers and 1,000 onshore professionals. Today, we are one of the largest independent third-party ship management companies managing over 650+ diverse types of vessels.

Headquartered in Hong Kong SAR, China, we operate on a global scale having 27 offices in 12 countries. Our client base spans over 100 world-class ship owners, including Fortune 500 companies from China, Greece, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the USA, among others.

In a shore career at FLEET, you will be working with a team of a highly passionate, self-driven and committed group of people. We aim to be a place where you can achieve your full potential, regardless of your background. We are looking for individuals who are ambitious about making a strong contribution to FLEET’s short and long-term sustainable growth – whether you are dealing directly with clients or working in a role supporting the business, such as technology, legal or communications.

Job Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Lead Buyer, the main responsibility of the Lead Buyer is to supervise a team of Buyers/Senior Buyers and provide daily support to the team, and training and devilment including, coordination of quotations, cost comparisons and liaising with suppliers.

Key Roles and Responsibilities   

Procurement & Supply-Chain responsibilities

• Spearhead the procurement strategy for assigned pod vessels, ensuring seamless operations through effective supervision
• Meticulously collect and document technical information from pod vessels, workshops, and vendors to support operations
• Manage timely invoice clearance and prepayment remittances within assigned POD to maintaining strong supplier relationships
• Monitor and ensure compliance with committed cost and requisition requirements upholding the company’s financial standards
• Assist buyers by guiding the coordination of quotations, vendor selection, and logistic connections to secure best value
• Provide oversight on weekly reports of overdue invoices, ensuring timely clearance and improved cash flow
• Establish a group specific comprehensive vendor list for frequently used spares and services, optimizing the supply chain
• Serve as an escalation point for urgent operational support, leveraging your technical expertise to address challenges

Supervisory and people management responsibilities

• Manage and mentor a team of Buyers, inspiring collaboration and aligning their efforts to achieve shared goals
• Spearhead the implementation of new procedures and processes, fostering a culture of continuous improvement
• Lead the training of buyers and senior buyers on Office 365 and procurement systems, emphasizing the importance of complete documentation
• Assess the training needs of assigned pods, communicating findings to the Senior Lead Buyer to enhance the capabilities of the workforce
• Conduct annual performance reviews and develop tailored professional development plans for team members
• Monitor team attendance and proactively address potential resource shortages, ensuring operational continuity
• Facilitate weekly meetings with technical teams, promoting effective communication and cross-functional coordination
• Serve as a trusted point of escalation for technical teams, resolving buyer-related or supply chain-specific issues with your problem-solving acumen

Relationship

INTERNAL:

• Senior lead buyer
• Superintendents and vessel staff
• Shared services lead
• Category leads

EXTERNAL:

• Vendors / Suppliers
• Freight forwarders

Job Experience, Functional Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Degree holder of any faculty with minimum 3+ years of work experience in the maritime industry as Buyer or Senior Buyer
• IVE or Diploma of any faculty with 5+ years relevant work experience as a Buyer or Senior Buyer
• Previous experience of people management strongly desirable

Competencies:

• Proficient in Microsoft office applications
• Fluent in written and spoken English is a MUST
• Supervisory skills and ability to lead a team
• Strong team player with a positive working attitude
• Willingness to learn new IT systems and drive the change in the team

Fleet Management Limited is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by local laws.