At a Glance
- Tasks: Own and optimise buying strategies for food categories while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
- Company: Join Sainsbury’s, a leading retailer focused on innovation and teamwork.
- Benefits: Enjoy discounts, flexible working, and a performance-related bonus up to 20% of salary.
- Other info: Dynamic workplace with opportunities for personal development and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in category planning, data analysis, and supplier negotiations is essential.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 48000 £ per year.
Overview
At Sainsbury’s, our Food Commercial team is at the heart of delivering our vision to help everyone eat better. We work collaboratively across supermarket, convenience, and online channels to create a distinctive and value-competitive customer offer. Innovation, strategic thinking, and cross-functional teamwork drive our success in a fast-paced retail environment.
This job advert is part of our proactive interview scheme across Food Buying at Sainsbury’s, where we interview talented individuals to benchmark and build a talent pool for future vacancies.
More about the role
As a Buyer, you will own, deliver, and optimise the buying and selling strategy for your category. You will be responsible for the commercial performance of the range, working across all channels to grow market share and cash profit. Your day-to-day will involve developing customer-focused category plans, negotiating product costs, implementing pricing and promotional strategies, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive product improvement and new product development.
You will lead key projects, including range reviews and supplier tenders. Your decisions will shape the buying and selling strategy, and you’ll have access to a dedicated support team and industry-leading resources to help you succeed.
More about you
You are a commercially-minded individual with a proven ability to analyse financial, market, and customer data to identify opportunities. You demonstrate accountability for results and have a track record of delivering against key performance indicators. Your negotiation skills and understanding of product cost drivers enable you to influence outcomes effectively.
You communicate clearly and work well in cross-functional teams, inspiring and engaging stakeholders to gain commitment to plans. You are proactive in managing your personal development and thrive in a dynamic environment where prioritisation and strategic thinking are key.
Essential criteria
- Proven experience in developing and executing customer-focused category plans.
- Demonstratable ability to analyse financial, market, and customer data to identify opportunities.
- Experience in negotiating product costs and managing supplier relationships.
- Ability to lead cross-functional projects through to delivery.
- Knowledge of buying systems and processes, and ability to prioritise workload effectively.
Qualifications
We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new - whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:
Starting off with colleague discount, you\\\'ll be able to get 10% off at Sainsbury\\\'s, Argos, TU and Habitat after 4 weeks. This increases to 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day. We\\\'ve also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You\\\'ll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform.
Your wellbeing is important to us too. You\\\'ll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy additional holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, pay advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme, you will also be eligible for private healthcare too.
Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.
Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).
Responsibilities
We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Here, everything in our Sainsbury’s stores starts out in Sainsbury’s Commercial. Whether it’s the product, proposition, packaging or price, or the fact that something tastes great, our team is responsible for all food, non-food and Clothing items available in Sainsbury’s stores, digitally and on demand. You’ll discover it’s incredibly fast-paced. People here are in it together and not afraid to take risks. They’re enthusiastic too, and their amazing leadership team is right behind them. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves anywhere else in the business. So, if you’re passionate about your products and just as hungry to learn, you’ll fit in perfectly.
Buyer - Roles within Food Buying Division in London employer: Sainsbury's
At Sainsbury’s, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive and dynamic employer that fosters personal and professional growth. Our Food Buying Division offers a collaborative work culture where innovation thrives, and employees are supported with extensive benefits, including generous discounts, performance-related bonuses, and flexible working options. Join us to be part of a team that values your contributions and encourages you to develop your skills in a fast-paced retail environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Buyer - Roles within Food Buying Division in London
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like Sainsbury's, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like Sainsbury's!
We think you need these skills to ace Buyer - Roles within Food Buying Division in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at Sainsbury's, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at Sainsbury's and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show Sainsbury's that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sainsbury's
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
