Group Purchasing and Procurement Manager - Supermarket Retail

Group Purchasing & Procurement Manager - Supermarket Retail Centralised Buying | Supplier Negotiations | Grocery & Food Retail | £40,000-£55,000 The company T3AM Global is recruiting on behalf of one of the UK's established ethnic supermarket chains, with a significant presence across the North West. The business operates multiple supermarket locations, supplying a wide range of international groceries, fresh produce, halal meat and everyday essentials. As part of an ambitious programme of operational improvement and business modernisation, the company is looking to appoint an experienced Group Purchasing & Procurement Manager to lead and develop its centralised purchasing function. This is an opportunity to make a significant commercial impact within an established supermarket group, improving buying efficiency, supplier relationships, pricing and profitability. The role As the Group Purchasing & Procurement Manager, you will take responsibility for reviewing, restructuring and improving purchasing activity across multiple supermarket locations. A key focus will be moving towards a more centralised, data-driven buying model, ensuring the business benefits from its combined purchasing power while maintaining the product availability, quality and competitive pricing customers expect. You will analyse existing suppliers, product costs, purchasing volumes and margins, identifying opportunities to negotiate improved terms, reduce unnecessary costs and establish more efficient procurement processes. Working closely with senior management, store teams and the retail systems function, you will help introduce modern purchasing controls, centralised supplier records and improved stock replenishment procedures. You will take responsibility for: Developing and implementing a centralised purchasing and procurement strategy across multiple supermarket locations Reviewing existing suppliers, negotiating improved commercial terms and consolidating purchasing where beneficial Analysing product costs, buying volumes, margins and supplier performance to identify commercial improvements Establishing centralised supplier records, purchasing procedures, product information and pricing controls Managing supplier relationships across grocery, fresh produce, meat, imported products and other retail categories Working with operational and systems teams to improve purchasing, stock replenishment and inventory management processes Introducing purchasing KPIs, cost-saving initiatives and data-driven reporting to improve profitability What you need It is ESSENTIAL for the successful candidate to have the following: Previous experience in purchasing, procurement, buying or category management within grocery, supermarket, food retail or wholesale environments Strong supplier negotiation and commercial management skills Proven experience managing purchasing budgets, supplier relationships and product costs Excellent analytical skills and confidence working with pricing, margins, sales and purchasing data Strong understanding of stock management, product availability and supply chain processes Ability to identify cost-saving opportunities and implement improved purchasing procedures Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills Other DESIRABLE skills include: Experience establishing or managing centralised buying functions Knowledge of ethnic foods, international groceries, imported products or fresh food categories Experience working within multi-site supermarket groups or grocery wholesalers Familiarity with EPOS, ERP, inventory or procurement management systems Experience implementing supplier consolidation, category management or purchasing transformation projects Advanced Excel, reporting or business intelligence skillsCandidates from supermarket chains, food wholesalers, cash-and-carry businesses and established independent grocery retailers are particularly encouraged to apply. What's on offer This is an opportunity to take ownership of a commercially important function within an established supermarket group undergoing significant operational modernisation. Salary: £40,000-£55,000 per annum Opportunity to lead and develop centralised purchasing across the group Significant influence over supplier relationships, buying strategy and profitability Direct involvement in operational transformation and business improvement Opportunity to introduce new purchasing systems and data-driven processes Genuine career progression opportunities Established business with a strong regional presence Manchester / North West location How to apply If you're an experienced purchasing or procurement professional with a strong commercial background in supermarket, grocery or food retail, we'd love to hear from you. This opportunity is particularly suited to someone who enjoys improving buying performance, negotiating strong supplier agreements and building efficient purchasing processes. Please submit your CV via this advert. We aim to respond to all successful applications within 5 working days. T3AM Global is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to building diverse and inclusive workplaces