Workplace dilemmas: my manager is a control freak

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a Customer Services Executive for a manufacturer based in Sudbury, Suffolk.

As a Customer Services Executive, you will play a key role within the sales and marketing team — delivering exceptional service to both new and existing customers while managing ongoing accounts.

You will answer customer questions, solve problems, and provide information about the company’s products and services — all while building strong relationships and ensuring long-term customer satisfaction.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assess incoming enquiries from direct communication or the sales team
• Create quotations and tender documentation
• Follow up on quotations at appropriate points in the process
• Manage the CRM system
• Manage the lead generation tools
• Processing incoming sales orders
• Liaise with the order fulfilment team for the smooth supply of products to customers
• Manage any after-sales requirements
• Help project manage key projects and clients

Role requirements include:

• Must possess excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Previous experience in a similar role is preferable
• Experience within the engineering/manufacturing sector is preferred
• Good knowledge of and proficiency in Microsoft Office and basic database skills
• Must be able to understand business calculations and be competent to correspond via email in a professional manner
• Must be an excellent face-to-face communicator
• Telephone communication skills are of a high standard
• One of the keys to success is to develop professional relationships with decision makers, and so the ability to ‘connect’ with people and build networks should come naturally
• You will be based at the Sudbury office, with occasional requirements for site and customer visits

Skills and qualifications to include:

• A highly capable person with strong planning and scheduling skills
• Self–driven, results-oriented, and with a positive outlook and a clear focus on high-quality standards
• An independent person with good organisation and planning skills, who is capable of objectively assessing and improving their own and the department’s performance
• Must be reliable, tolerant, and be able to work under pressure. The ability to be professional at all times and represent the company in a professional manner is a prerequisite
• Tenacity and the ability to see things through to the end goal are desired traits
• Must be able to work alone as well as work within a team
• When required, able to work extra hours to accommodate the business needs, which may include occasional travel

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

Just Recruitment is seeking a Technical Sales / Applications Engineer for a leading client in Tiverton, Devon — an excellent opportunity for a graduate, higher apprentice, or experienced engineer to develop their career within a technical engineering environment.

Reporting to the Technical Sales Manager, this role will focus on the promotion and sales of company products to prospective, new and existing customers.

Scope:

• Providing a Technical Sales Service to Customers
• Dealing first-hand with customer enquiries, by telephone and digital meetings where required
• Solving Design Problems and providing new design solutions
• Checking and validating applications, preparing costings and quotations
• Preparation of drawings
• Assisting the manufacturing team with design builds

Required qualifications/experience include:

• Ideally qualified to HNC minimum in mechanical engineering
• Consideration given to applicants with a Mechanical Design background and good CAD skills
• Knowledge of Machine and Production processes is advantageous
• Working knowledge of 3D design tools such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

Just Recruitment is working with a growing manufacturing business based on the outskirts of Sudbury, in the search for a talented Procurement Manager to join their expanding team.

Required skills and qualifications:

• CIPS Qualified - min level 5.
• Substantial experience in a procurement leadership role within the food, ingredients, manufacturing, or FMCG sectors.
• Experience in leading and developing high-performance teams.
• Strong Negotiation and Supplier Management skills.

The key purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of greater strategic and operational value of the procurement function and help to deliver business-critical goals.

This is a hands-on, strategic, and operational role that requires a confident leader with deep procurement expertise and the ability to inspire and develop a team.

You will work closely with the Supply Chain Manager to shape and implement a fit-for-purpose procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals across quality, cost, sustainability, and risk management. This role is pivotal in maintaining robust and value-driven supplier relationships while enabling continuous improvement in all procurement activities.

You will also oversee raw material planning and call-offs, ensuring that the business maintains the right balance between availability and inventory control — essential for production continuity and working capital efficiency.

This role includes direct line management of a Procurement Specialist, supporting their development and day-to-day activity management.

Key duties include:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives, operational needs, and sustainability goals.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage suppliers across raw materials, packaging, and indirect categories to ensure quality, continuity and cost-effectiveness.
• Collaborate with the Supply Chain Manager and other departments to align procurement with broader supply chain goals and business plans.
• Contribute to the company’s sustainability, traceability and ethical sourcing commitments through strategic supplier partnerships.
• Oversee the procurement of raw materials, packaging, indirect goods and services, and CAPEX items, ensuring optimal quality, cost and delivery performance.
• Manage tendering processes, contract negotiation and supplier onboarding activities.
• Ensure the ERP system is updated and used effectively for procurement activities and reporting.
• Monitor and report on procurement KPIs, savings and supplier performance metrics.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
• Lead supplier performance reviews, audits and corrective action processes.
• Identify and assess risks within the supply base and implement mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
• Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team to achieve high levels of engagement, performance and professional growth.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning within the team.
• Support the wider Supply Chain team by contributing to cross-functional initiatives and projects.
• Ensure adherence to company procurement policies, financial controls and ethical standards.
• Support internal and external audits with relevant documentation and compliance reporting.
• Drive process improvement initiatives and embed best practices across the procurement function.

Build and nurture key working relationships with Production, Quality Assurance, Finance, Warehousing, Sales and Commercial Teams, Suppliers, Logistics Providers and Regulatory Bodies.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive change within a business — offering a great working environment.

Working hours for this role are Monday to Friday, 8am - 5pm, although some flexibility is required.

Please note that due to the location of the business, you must have access to your own transport.

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

Just Recruitment is partnering with a growing, industry-leading organisation in Ipswich to recruit a Purchasing Supervisor.

Working collaboratively within a fast-paced, team-oriented purchasing function, you will take responsibility for taking the highly successful Purchasing Team to the next level of procurement. Reporting to the Purchasing Manager, the emphasis of the role is to work with existing team members to build key skills and to improve current processes. It will involve resolving daily issues, building and maintaining supplier relationships and helping to build the future purchasing team.

Duties include:

• Primary responsibility for the daily management of specific team members.
• Provide structured training and guidance to proactively encourage individual and team development, ensuring team succession planning.
• Empower the team to take ownership of their roles/responsibilities.
• Responsible for managing up and organising updates/meetings with the Team Manager.
• Actively work with other supervisors and management to ensure a consistent approach within the department.
• Resolution of daily issues—including data collation of issues.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance.
• Lead on supplier lead time reviews and relevant internal updates.
• Present data on monthly spend and KPIs, and non-conformance tracking.
• Lead on-demand planning, working with the external Sales Team and suppliers to provide forecasting.
• Participate in pricing reviews.
• Deliver guidance and training daily to the team.
• Proactively work on team engagement through coaching, mentoring and regular 1-2-1s.

Key skills/qualifications required include:

• CIPS level 4 achieved or prepared to undertake.
• Leadership skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain commercial awareness, internally and industry-wide.
• A proactive approach with a “can-do” attitude and the ability to motivate others.
• Analytical skills with strong problem-solving ability.
• Proven negotiation skills.
• Good understanding of supply chain procedures.
• Proven advanced level of Computer literacy - Microsoft Excel/Word/Access.
• Sound Administrative experience. Knowledge of ERP.

Hybrid working will be available after successful completion of the probationary period (min. of 3 days in the office, up to 2 days at home).

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

Just Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a well-regarded business based in Braintree who are recruiting for a Brand Coordinator to add to their team.

As a Brand Coordinator, you will manage the entire process from product development to customer delivery, including:

• Product development and follow-up in collaboration with customers, Sales and Business Development Managers, and your international colleagues
• Daily contact with customers
• Daily communication with colleagues across multiple production sites
• Creating and maintaining master data
• Inventory planning
• Monitoring KPIs such as delivery times and coverage

Role requirements include:

• Strong commercial skills
• Proactive, action-oriented and self-motivated
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and maintain an overview
• Service-minded and skilled at building and maintaining good relationships
• Working systematically and structured
• Desire to advance your career within the company and build long-term relationships with customers and colleagues
• Have more than 2 years of experience in purchasing or as a purchasing assistant

Working hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.