Overview
We're looking for a Buyer with experience managing a Food & Drink retail category to join our commercial team. The role is a job share for 3 days per week (24 hours) and must include Mondays. Based at our Customer Support Centre in Walsall, the role will work on a hybrid basis. As a Buyer, you’ll support our Senior Buyer to drive performance across a food retail based category – ensuring the right products land in store at the right time and the right price. You’ll manage everything from building category strategies, supplier negotiations and management, sales analysis, range planning to managing critical path.
Key Responsibilities
- Maximise category performance, driving growth, maximizing margins and ensuring availability.
- Work collaboratively with the wider commercial team, retail operations and suppliers to ensure critical path deadlines are achieved.
- Identify, create and develop new range opportunities, taking the lead on constructing a robust and successful plan.
- Seek out category range and promotional opportunities, resolve supply issues and make recommendations for action for any threats identified.
- Understand and interpret key customer insights and data to identify and react to market trends and shopping habits.
- Meet suppliers and attend trade fairs to build relationships, negotiate the cost of goods and explore new opportunities.
- Lead the development of category strategies, including research and analysis (spend analysis, cost benchmarking, etc).
Qualifications
- Experienced Buyer from a Retail background, expert negotiator, skilled at building relationships and proficient with spreadsheets.
- Previous experience of leading an FMCG based category is preferred but not essential.
- Ability to keep one step ahead of the market through calculated risks.
- Experience of delivering strategies and plans with associated targets, KPIs and performance monitoring, along with reporting, budgeting and forecasting.
- Comfortable with being agile to changing priorities.
- Strong understanding of the sector and competitors.
- Thorough understanding of the Supply Chain Process.
Benefits
- 10% employee discount card with increased discount events over the year.
- Extra day off for your birthday.
- 33 days a year holiday, including bank holidays, pro‑rated.
- Single private medical cover.
- Annual bonus scheme, up to 15% of base salary.
- Car allowance of £500 per month, pro‑rated.
- Free parking onsite.
- Pension scheme with up to 5% employer matched contributions.
- Well‑being resources through Retail Trust partnership.
- Access to My Staff Shop discounts and vouchers.
- Early wage access up to 50% of monthly earned wages via Stream partnership, plus savings and financial advice.
- Training and development opportunities, including qualifications offered and internal programmes.
- Life assurance, loyalty service awards and more.
We’re committed and proud of our inclusive culture, and that starts with the recruitment and selection process. If you require a reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process, please let us know on your application and we’ll make every effort to meet your needs.
