Tea Buyer in Harrogate

Are you a passionate, values‑led tea buyer looking to take the next step in your career with the UK’s leading tea brand? Have you got the skills and experience to be part of the team behind Yorkshire Tea, the nation’s best‑selling brand – helping us source great tea and build lasting relationships from crop to cup? We’re offering a rare and exciting opportunity to join our expert Tea Buying & Blending Team as a Tea Buyer. We’re looking for a dedicated tea professional to help shape and grow our world‑renowned portfolio across tea, herbs, and flavours.

The Role

As a Tea Buyer, you’ll become part of a collaborative and knowledgeable team of tea experts. You’ll play a key role in sourcing teas to meet quality specifications, budget targets, and stock requirements, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional products to our customers. With strong relationship‑building skills, you’ll manage supplier accounts and develop trusted partnerships across our global supply chain, in line with Taylors Sourcing Approach. You will have a passion for and willingness to travel to remote tea growing regions. You’ll bring a solid understanding of key tea markets, producing regions, and the factors that influence supply and pricing, enabling effective forecasting and commercial decision‑making. As a skilled tea taster, you’ll assess teas against our exacting quality standards, supported by a strong knowledge of tea manufacture. In doing so you will also contribute to the ongoing success of our award‑winning Taylors Sourcing Approach, supporting responsible sourcing practices.

Working pattern

This is a full‑time role working 37.5 hours per week. The team are primarily based at our offices in Harrogate, however this role can also accommodate hybrid working and flexible hours. Collaborating in‑person with your peers 2‑3 days per week would normally be expected. If you would like to discuss flexible working, please provide more details in your application.

About You

• Proven experience (minimum 3 years) in the tea industry, within a buying and/or blending role
• Strong tea sensory skills and a deep understanding of quality evaluation
• Good knowledge of global tea markets, origins, and supply dynamics
• Commercial awareness and sound business acumen
• Confident communicator with excellent relationship‑building skills
• Understanding of tea logistics and supply chain management
• Experience travelling to tea origins is advantageous, but not essential, though a willingness to travel is
• Right to work in the UK (we are not a sponsor licence holder)

About Us - Great People, Great Culture

We are Bettys & Taylors Group. Our family business is home to three iconic Yorkshire brands – Yorkshire Tea, Bettys, and Taylors of Harrogate. Together we share a passion for quality, delighting customers, and doing things properly. We are driven by our purpose and values, and we know our talented people set us apart. We are committed to offering a welcoming, inclusive culture where everyone can thrive and welcome applications from all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Don’t worry if you do not meet 100% of the job requirements listed above – if you fulfil most of the skills and experiences we’re looking for, please apply as we would love to hear from you.

What We Offer You

On top of a competitive salary, we offer:

• A discretionary profit‑share bonus scheme paid quarterly (11.9% average over the last three years)
• A generous, flexible and inclusive range of family‑friendly benefits to support you through every stage of life. These include enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave arrangements, flexible working options, paid time off for caring responsibilities, and emergency family leave
• Freshly cooked hot meals while at work, along with free drinks and snacks
• Discounts on Bettys & Taylors products
• A range of health benefits, including a health cash plan, health assessments, flu jabs and more
• Wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme (free and independent service offering free counselling and health and wellbeing resources)
• The option to buy and (in some cases) sell additional holidays
• Pension schemes and life assurance
• And more

We also offer a range of development opportunities no matter your role and ambitions. We encourage everyone to take control of their career and make the most of:

• On‑the‑job learning
• External training programmes
• Apprenticeship opportunities
• Internal 1:1 coaching schemes

Find out more about working here on our website.

Application & Interview Process

Apply by submitting a CV & supporting statement. We have a two‑stage interview process, consisting of a competency‑based interview and a task. Interviews are planned to take place 1st – 11th September and 1st – 9th October. We share our interview questions in advance of the interview to help you prepare and be at your best. Please let us know of any reasonable adjustments which you would benefit from. The hiring manager will pick up any information provided in your application and get in touch with you to talk about what could support you.