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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead procurement strategies and drive category growth in a dynamic foodservice environment.
- Company: Join Sysco, a global leader in foodservice with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, company car allowance, private healthcare, and generous holiday package.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced role with opportunities for career advancement.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership and extensive buying experience in food products or FMCG.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a vibrant team culture and exciting growth potential.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Job Description
Brakes are now recruiting for a Head of Procurement who will drive overall CSE category growth, be accountable for buying bakery and support the Category Merchandising Director as overall deputy for the Chip Butty Takeaway Team. Overall responsibility for category growth through unlocking cost of goods better than market benefit, whilst supporting the development of the overall category plan to deliver volume, sales and margin growth, balancing the performance of quality, service and price.
We are offering a hybrid working contract for this role. The successful candidate will be within a commutable distance to the Ashford, Kent office to attend site twice per week and be flexible with regular travel to meet with suppliers, customers and colleagues.
Key Accountabilities &Responsibilities:
- Lead a team of high performing merchandising professionals to deliver on key priorities and outcomes.
- Support the development of the overall category strategy and the in-year plan to deliver volume, sales and margin growth, whilst having a balanced perspective on quality, service & price.
- Lead and promote the better buying workstream of the category plan, negotiating the lowest (better than market) cost prices, sourcing relevant products from the most appropriate suppliers, developing supplier partnerships, improving availability and contingency planning, considering both existing and potential new suppliers, including SMEs.
- Supporting range development including award winning innovation, collaborating with trusted supplier partners to develop sustainable and profitable relationships, with a clear understanding for how to develop both added value and innovative products for Sysco own brands, and vendor branded control and skill to maximise income and growth.
- Link the better buying workstream to both the better selling activation workstream and the ranging fundamentals of The Sysco 6 Stage Category Management process, managing the end-to-end P&L through product mix and selling prices to maximise margin. Understand the needs of our diverse customer base from large corporate to small independent foodservice businesses.
- Accountability for Brakes (local) spend, but also responsible to link with Sysco GB and International partners (plus EU Merchandising Hub and Constellation buying alliance) to develop Syscos Global Sysco Global to drive maximum Sysco International results.
About You:
To be successful in this role you will have proven leadership experience either through projects or managing cross functional teams and delivering through others and extensive senior level buying experience in a fast-moving food product category, ideally in retail, foodservice of FMCG environment, with international scope and different tendering models.Youll live and breathe Customer First, with an innovative and agile approach to identify new ideas and methods and enjoy working collaboratively with a dedicated focus on driving and delivering results. You will be resilient and work well with ambiguityand building future solutions and you will embrace an inclusive working environment and be committed to acting with integrity and honesty in everything you do. We are looking for someone who has a clear understanding of and previous experience of working with Category Management and extensive negotiation & professional buying / category training. You will have strong commercial acumen and a proven commercial leader with experience running large buying / P&L areas is essential and illustrate solid experience in developing strategies which deliver sustained profitable growth, through buying and category growth perspectives. This role requires someone with strong external stakeholder management skills with supplier partners, demonstrating the balance of tactical & strategic relationships to maximise category profitability and growth. This is a great role for someone who is ambitious for further career development within Merchandising and an exciting, progressive Global organisation.
What we offer:
- A competitive salary
- Company car or car allowance of £8,000 per annum
- Family private medical healthcare cover
- Pension scheme
- Generous holiday allowance of 25 days, with option to purchase additional holidays + bank holidays
- Huge discounts on all sorts of lovely food and award-winning products through our staff shop
- Discounts on Cinema tickets, shopping and earn cashback on purchases through Sodexo.
- Recognition awards and Incentives
- Real career opportunities – being part of Sysco, the worlds leading foodservice business, opens up a world of possibility
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Head Of Procurement employer: Sysco
Contact Detail:
Sysco Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Of Procurement
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on LinkedIn, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential colleagues or mentors. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your own. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. Focus on articulating your experience in procurement and how it relates to driving category growth, just like the role requires.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our brand. So, go ahead and submit your application today!
We think you need these skills to ace Head Of Procurement
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Procurement role. Highlight your leadership experience and any relevant buying experience in fast-moving food product categories. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your achievements in category management and negotiation. Show us your passion for driving results and working collaboratively!
Showcase Your Commercial Acumen: In your application, demonstrate your strong commercial acumen. Talk about your experience managing P&L areas and how you've developed strategies for sustained profitable growth. We love seeing numbers that back up your success!
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sysco
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Head of Procurement, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of cost management and P&L. Brush up on key metrics related to category growth, margins, and supplier negotiations. Be ready to discuss specific examples where you've successfully driven down costs or improved profitability.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership experience. Prepare to share stories about how you've led cross-functional teams or projects. Highlight your ability to motivate others and drive results, especially in fast-paced environments like foodservice or FMCG.
✨Understand the Market
Familiarise yourself with current trends in the food product category, especially around bakery items. Research competitors and be prepared to discuss how you would position the company against them. This shows you're proactive and have a strategic mindset.
✨Build Relationships
Since stakeholder management is crucial, think about how you've built and maintained relationships with suppliers and internal teams. Be ready to discuss your approach to collaboration and negotiation, as well as any innovative partnerships you've developed in the past.