Category Buying Manager

Category Buying Manager – Nelson, Lancashire – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

About the role

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Buying Manager to oversee a specific category within our food service operations.

You will be pivotal in driving growth within your assigned category by establishing strong supplier relationships, negotiating competitive prices, and optimising product range.

This role will be a 12-month Fixed Term Contract

What you will do:

• Take full ownership of a specific product category, with responsibility for its development, performance and growth.
• Analyse market trends, customer needs and competitor activity to identify opportunities for category expansion and NPD.
• Ownership for the P&L in your categories including sales and profit margin.
• Establish and nurture strong, long-term relationships with suppliers.
• Act as the key point of contact between the company and suppliers to resolve issues and improve performance.
• Lead negotiations with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, favourable terms, and ensure the best possible value for the company.
• Manage and support a Buyer and Supply Planner, providing guidance, mentorship and development opportunities.
• Ensure your team is aligned with category goals and has the resources needed to succeed in their roles.
• Work closely with Supply Planner to ensure effective inventory management, forecasting and demand planning.
• Track and report on the performance of the category, including sales, margins, stock turnover and supplier performance.

What you will need:

• Proven experience as a Buying Manager or Category Manager in the food service industry, with a strong understanding of supply chain, procurement and stock management.
• Experience with category-specific systems and tools i.e. inventory management software, ERP systems, etc.
• Strong negotiation skills, with a track record of securing competitive pricing and favourable terms.
• Experience in managing and leading a team, with the ability to motivate, coach and develop talent.
• Excellent supplier relationship management skills and the ability to build long-term partnerships.
• A solid understanding of the food service industry trends, customer needs, and market dynamics.
• Highly analytical and proficient in all aspects of Microsoft Office with strong Excel skills

Let us tell you some more benefits you would receive:

• Fancy volunteering? We will give you one day off a year to take part in volunteering.
• Generous discounts on our products
• Cycle to Work Scheme that offers discounted bikes and cycling equipment.
• Donate through your pay to a charity of your choice. The money is simply deducted through your pay before tax, so for every pound you donate, the 20p that usually goes to tax will go to the charity instead!
• We also have a range of employee assistance services which can be tailored to give you support on various matters such as financial, health and wellbeing advice.
• We treat our teams to a free meal every few months, from our visiting fish & chip van, to freshly made bacon baps from our in-house chefs

About us

Wellocks, is one of the leading UK food distributors in the hospitality industry. We provide fruit, vegetables, dairy, eggs, poultry, meat, store cupboard essentials and everything else chefs will need in their restaurant kitchen. Thanks to our highly skilled team, we also offer pre-prepared veg and freshly-made pasta which is a key part of our service.

From our humble beginnings in 1961 supplying potatoes to local pubs and restaurants, 60 years later we now supply over 1,200 restaurant kitchens across the country with amazing ingredients.

We’re proud to be part of the William Jackson Food Group, a dedicated family-owned food business which started in 1851. Our sister businesses are Abel & Cole, Jacksons Bakery and Belazu. Family values and the commitment which comes with such a long-standing business are rooted in our culture here at Wellocks.

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