Buying Manager (Food/FMCG) in Hailsham

Procurement Manager Full-time | Permanent European Supply Chain / Procurement A growing organisation is seeking an experienced Procurement Manager to lead sourcing activity across key categories and build a strong, resilient and commercially effective supply base. This role plays a critical part in ensuring product availability, quality, cost efficiency and long-term supply stability. You’ll translate business requirements into clear sourcing priorities, develop supplier performance, and make balanced commercial decisions that support both current operations and future growth. Strategic Procurement & Sourcing Assess total cost, quality, service, capacity, risk and sustainability in all sourcing decisions. Supplier Performance & Risk Management Set clear expectations for supplier quality, delivery, cost and responsiveness. Review performance regularly and drive corrective actions where needed. Identify supply risks early and maintain mitigation, contingency or dual‑sourcing plans. Build strong long-term supplier relationships while maintaining commercial challenge. Escalate supplier non‑conformance and risks through appropriate internal channels. Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Product, Category Management, Finance and other teams to make balanced decisions. Present recommendations using clear facts, options, financial impact and risk. Take ownership of recurring or complex procurement problems. Ensure procurement activity aligns with wider business priorities, not just local optimisation. Coach colleagues to strengthen commercial judgement, supplier management and negotiation skills. Ensure procurement controls and delegated authority processes are followed. Use data to identify trends, recurring issues and improvement opportunities. Support standardisation of procurement tools, approval routes and supplier management practices across the region. You will be a commercially strong, confident Procurement Manager who takes ownership of decisions, acts ethically and holds suppliers to high standards. Strong procurement, sourcing or supplier‑management experience in manufacturing, distribution or similar environments. Demonstrable negotiation experience and commercial analysis capability. Ability to assess cost, risk, quality, service and operational implications holistically. Confidence using ERP systems, spend data and supplier reporting to inform decisions. Relevant procurement qualification or professional development (desirable but not essential). Opportunity to shape sourcing strategy and supplier performance. A role with genuine influence across operations, quality, engineering and commercial teams. Scope to drive cost improvements, supply resilience and long-term value. A supportive environment focused on continuous improvement and professional growth.