At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead sourcing and procurement for raw materials, ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness.
- Company: Vibrant Foods, a leading South Asian food group with a rich cultural legacy.
- Benefits: 33 days annual leave, matched pension contributions, private healthcare, and volunteering days.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for personal development and growth.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team and make a real impact in the food industry.
- Qualifications: Minimum two years in raw-materials procurement with strong negotiation skills.
About Vibrant Foods
Vibrant Foods is one of Europe's largest South Asian food groups, bringing together a portfolio of well-established heritage brands, including East End, TRS, Fudco, Cofresh, and Everest. Headquartered in Watford, with three manufacturing facilities across the Midlands, the company is dedicated to creating authentic, flavour-led food experiences that celebrate South Asian heritage while meeting the growing demand for plant-based and vegetarian products. The business combines a rich cultural legacy with a modern, growth-focused approach, supplying both retail and foodservice markets across the UK and internationally. Its purpose is to create adventures in flavour that bring people together by connecting consumers with foods rooted in taste, heritage, and culture.
At the heart of Vibrant Foods is a people-focused culture underpinned by five core values: Swift, Passionate, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Empowered. Employees are encouraged to share ideas, work collaboratively to solve challenges, and take ownership of their work. This creates an agile, supportive environment where innovation, continuous improvement, and personal development are actively encouraged.
Location - West Bromwich or Leicester
Working pattern - 8 hours, Monday to Friday, with travel to sites
Reporting to - Head of Procurement
Role Purpose
To deliver cost-saving and value-improvement opportunities across raw-material spend. The role leads sourcing, category planning, supplier performance and procurement governance, ensuring ingredients and commodities meet food safety, quality, service, traceability, continuity and cost requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead sourcing and tenders across food raw-material categories with Procurement, Operations, Supply Chain, Technical, Quality and NPD.
- Define and categorise raw-material spend across Vibrant Foods sites, including ingredients, commodities and manufacturing inputs.
- Develop category plans covering sourcing strategy, supplier consolidation, specification optimisation and total cost of ownership.
- Create and execute RFQs and tenders defining specifications, quality parameters, origin, allergen controls and service expectations.
- Deliver savings and value improvements through structured sourcing and tendering, aligned with key stakeholders.
- Negotiate favourable commercial terms and support contract review with the line manager and legal advisers where required.
- Manage supplier performance through reviews, OTIF and quality tracking, complaint resolution, corrective actions and continuous improvement.
- Own contract lifecycles and governance, maintaining audit-ready records, renewals, notice periods, supply coverage and compliance.
- Mitigate supplier and category risk, and support onboarding, product development and data-led decisions without compromising safety, quality, traceability or supply.
Person Specification
Essential
- Minimum two years' experience in a raw-materials procurement role.
- Experience developing raw-material sourcing or category plans that balance cost, quality, service, food safety and continuity.
- Experience leading tenders and RFQs from initiation through recommendation and award.
- Experience managing supplier relationships, performance, quality issues and renewals in manufacturing or food supply.
- Strong negotiation, commercial and analytical skills, including spend analysis and reporting.
- Good Excel, Word and PowerPoint skills.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with confidence to challenge requirements and work cross-functionally.
Desirable
- Fluent in Hindi or Gujarati
- Experience using ERP, purchase-to-pay or contract-management systems.
- Understanding of raw-material specifications, supplier controls, traceability or commodity markets.
- CIPS qualified or working towards CIPS; proactive and able to work independently.
Benefits Full of Flavour
At Vibrant Foods, we believe great benefits are an essential ingredient in a rewarding career. Here’s a taste of what you can enjoy:
- 33 days’ annual leave - Plenty of time to relax, recharge and enjoy life outside work.
- Pension contributions matched up to 5% - Contribute 5% and we’ll match it—giving you a total pension contribution of 10%.
- Private healthcare eligibility - Access additional support to help you look after your health and wellbeing.
- Volunteering days - Take time away from your usual role to support the causes and communities that matter to you.
- Free on-site parking - Making your daily journey a little easier.
- And many more benefits to enjoy!
Category Buyer in Woking employer: Vibrant Foods
Vibrant Foods is an exceptional employer that fosters a people-focused culture, encouraging collaboration and innovation among its employees. With a commitment to personal development and a range of attractive benefits, including generous annual leave and matched pension contributions, the company creates a supportive environment for its team members in West Bromwich or Leicester. Join us to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to delivering authentic South Asian food experiences while enjoying meaningful career growth opportunities.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Buyer in Woking
✨Get Savvy with Industry Perks
Join procurement and purchasing forums or groups where pros hang out, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply). They'll share the inside scoop on job openings that might not show up on traditional job boards!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Consider creating a portfolio that outlines your achievements in procurement, like cost-saving initiatives or supplier management strategies. Having tangible evidence of your skills can really set you apart when applying to companies like Vibrant Foods.
✨Tap into Your Network
Leverage LinkedIn to connect with professionals in procurement—follow relevant hashtags, join groups, and engage in discussions. This is a great way to get noticed by potential employers before they even post a job!
✨Keep Your Eyes on Job Boards
With full-time positions, timing can be everything. Set alerts on job boards specifically for procurement roles. Don't wait for a job posting to close; apply through our website as soon as you see a fit—being proactive can give you the edge!
We think you need these skills to ace Category Buyer in Woking
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Procurement Know-How:When you're crafting your CV, make sure to highlight any procurement-specific skills you've got. Talk about your experience with supplier negotiations, cost analysis, or inventory management. If you’ve used software like SAP or Oracle, don’t forget to mention that too – it shows you know your way around the tech side of things!
Quantify Your Achievements:In procurement, numbers matter. Use your CV and cover letter to showcase any quantifiable achievements you've made in reducing costs or improving efficiencies. For example, mentioning that you helped save 20% on purchasing costs last year is way more impressive than just saying you managed the budget!
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Vibrant Foods:Your cover letter should read like you’re chatting directly to Vibrant Foods. Research the company’s procurement strategy, mention how your skills align with their goals, and share your enthusiasm for contributing to their success. This personal touch can really set you apart from the crowd!
Professional Certs Can Go a Long Way:If you've got any procurement-related certifications, such as CIPS or APICS, make sure they're front and centre on your CV. These qualifications show you're serious about your career in procurement and are committed to continuous learning. It’s a great way to signal your expertise and dedication to potential employers like Vibrant Foods.
How to prepare for a job interview at Vibrant Foods
✨Show Off Your Negotiation Skills
In procurement, strong negotiation skills are key. Be ready to share examples of past negotiations where you've successfully saved costs or improved supplier terms. We want to hear how you approached those situations and the strategies you used to achieve positive outcomes!
✨Know Your Tools
Make sure you’re familiar with procurement software and tools commonly used in the industry, such as SAP Ariba or Coupa. Come prepared to discuss any experiences you've had with these tools or similar platforms, as we need someone who can hit the ground running at Vibrant Foods!
✨Understand Market Trends
As a procurement professional, being aware of market trends can set you apart. Brush up on recent developments in supply chain management or procurement best practices and think about how they could impact your role at Vibrant Foods. Bringing a current perspective will show your enthusiasm for the industry.
✨Demonstrate Your Team Player Attitude
A full-time position means you'll be working closely with various teams. Be prepared to discuss how you collaborate with others, manage conflicts, and build relationships with stakeholders. Sharing anecdotes about past teamwork experiences will highlight your ability to fit into Vibrant Foods's culture.
