Location: LondonReady to take ownership of a key procurement category? Great procurement is about more than securing the best price. It’s about knowing the market, challenging suppliers and finding smarter ways to deliver value.We’re working with a well-established chilled food manufacturer looking for a Direct Procurement Buyer to take ownership of key supplier relationships and help drive its procurement strategy forward.
Why this role?
With chilled food at the heart of the business, procurement plays a key role in supporting performance, managing costs and ensuring the right suppliers are in place to support its ambitions.
You’ll have the opportunity to shape procurement strategy, build strong supplier partnerships and influence decisions that make a real difference to cost, quality and efficiency across the chilled division.
If you enjoy getting stuck into negotiations, spotting opportunities others might miss and challenging the way things are done, this is a chance to take ownership, drive change and see the impact of your work across the business.
What will you be doing?
- Managing key supplier relationships across direct procurement.
- Supporting supplier negotiations, contracts and sourcing activities.
- Analysing market trends to identify commercial opportunities and inform buying decisions.
- Tracking procurement KPIs and performance against strategy.
- Driving improvements in cost, quality, efficiency and purchasing processes.
- Ensuring ethical sourcing, supplier traceability and compliance.
- Monitoring purchase orders and resolving delivery issues with suppliers.
- Working with Supply Chain to manage inventory and reduce waste and risk.
- Leading supplier performance improvements and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Supporting NPD and wider business projects.
- Contributing to business strategy and representing Purchasing at senior leadership level.
About the business:
Our client is an established, multi-site chilled food manufacturer supplying customers across the food industry. With a dedicated focus on chilled products, the business combines established manufacturing operations with a strong emphasis on quality, customer requirements and efficient ways of working.
What are they looking for? Essential:
- Previous procurement experience is essential.
- A strong FMCG background, ideally within chilled food.
- Experience in sourcing processes and contract negotiations.
- Experience operating at SLT level and contributing to wider business strategy.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret performance data and understand the impact of market conditions.
- Confidence in challenging stakeholders, questioning assumptions and influencing decisions.
- A track record of identifying opportunities for improvement, implementing change and delivering results.
- A strong understanding of wider business processes and how procurement supports commercial and operational performance.
- Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to engage stakeholders at all levels.
- A proactive, self-motivated approach, with the ability to work independently and drive initiatives forward.
What’s in it for you?
- The opportunity to take ownership of key direct procurement categories.
- Exposure to strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations and market analysis.
- The chance to influence procurement strategy and work with senior stakeholders.
- A varied role spanning procurement, supply chain, NPD and wider business projects.
- Genuine scope to drive continuous improvement and deliver measurable commercial results.
We are only able to consider candidates who have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.
#J-18808-Ljbffr…