Grocery Buyer

Overview

A pioneer of organic home delivery, Abel & Cole is a brand famous for seasonal organic fruit & veg. Since 1988 we’ve built close relationships with other brilliant organic pioneers in order to deliver an ever-expanding range of fantastic organic products to people’s homes across much of England & Wales.

We represent a refreshing alternative to supermarket shopping, but without being worthy or preachy. No air freight, no unnecessary packaging, no nasty chemicals – just great food produced by people who really love what they do. We deliver to around 40,000 households and we employ nearly 600 great people. We consider ourselves bold, irreverent, genuine, friendly and honest, and it is crucial that this comes across in everything we do.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Grocery Buying Manager and acting as an ambassador for Abel & Cole, this is a fantastic opportunity to join a team that is passionate about sourcing and delivering an enviable range of top quality, ethical and sustainable products direct to the customer’s door. Working in a fast-paced environment where problem solving is part of the day to day, alongside other Abel & Cole Buyers and Supply Chain Planners, your goal will be to manage and develop your own product ranges with direct accountability for sales, margin, availability, and quality. You will source and analyse category insights and trends to identify commercial opportunities, drive range innovation and shape the future of your category.

Relationships with our fantastic farmers and producers are paramount, and you will build and nurture these connections through regular communication, visits, and business plans where appropriate. We love to be bold and take risks, so in this role you’ll be encouraged to try new things to make significant steps forward in the organic and sustainable field. The right candidate for this role will have strong commercial awareness and drive paired with product vision and creativity. They will need excellent organisation skills, an eye for detail, and good knowledge of the grocery retail sector. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a fast-paced, dynamic department where no two days are the same.

Key Responsibilities

• Delivering your category commercial objectives of AOV, margin, and gross profit.
• Reviewing relevant market and competitor insights to shape your category plans and strategy.
• Seeking continuous optimisation of the range through product launches and delists and driving category innovation, both to surprise and delight customers and to secure a competitive advantage.
• Formulating robust promotional plans and working collaboratively with the trading and marketing teams to deliver strong trading results.
• Building supplier relationships, risk, and opportunity planning, buying and category management responsibility for specific areas.
• Working closely with the Dry Goods Supply Chain Planning Team to maximise availability, minimise wastage, and support them in their day-to-day supplier management.
• Working closely with other cross-functional teams across marketing, technical, sustainability and operations to ensure effective collaboration.
• Acting as an ambassador for B Corp. Making all decisions with our social and environmental impact in mind and look for opportunities, no matter how small, to use our business as a force for good.

Key Requirements

• Previous buying experience, preferably with experience within Grocery categories
• Numerate with good commercial awareness
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• A keen attention to detail
• An excellent communicator; possessing the ability to gain buy-in when necessary
• Computer literate, particularly in MS Office and Excel
• A flexible attitude, with the ability to deal positively with changing priorities
• Proactive and able to work on one’s own initiative

What We Offer

This is a full-time position working Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week. Our working hours are 9.00am – 5.30pm, however, we offer flexibility. You will be based at our Putney Bridge or Andover office with regular travel to alternative site. We have a hybrid working environment, with a minimum of two days in the office required per week. Flexibility to visit suppliers across the country also required.

• A free box of fruit and vegetables every week
• Access to organic products and up to 35% discount on Abel & Cole products
• Discounted staff shop
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Wellbeing and Rewards platform with access to discounts, GP service and Employee Assistance Programme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Collaborative and supportive work environment
• Opportunities for personal and professional development
• A chance to make a positive impact on the environment and people\\\’s health