Buyer

**Job description**

**Buyer Fine Food & Drink - Dunfermline**

**About Us.**

The Cress Co is an established award-winning distributor of ambient and chilled fine foods. Distributing throughout the UK from one of our five depots, we collaborate with the finest producers and independent retailers within the UK. We pride ourselves on offering a first-class service to both our customers and suppliers. Customers include leading farm shops, delicatessens, and hotels. Whilst a growing ambitious company we maintain many of the small company values that have allowed us to grow and succeed in this field. You will be joining the business at an exciting time as we have recently acquired Adamsons Soft Drinks, a Scottish based soft drink wholesale business. You will be joining at a key time as the business begins to amalgamate processes and procedures and refine and introduce new business practices.

We are looking for an ambitious, driven, motivated and experienced Buyer to join our team. This is a full-time role based in our Head Office in Dunfermline. You will be responsible for planning, sourcing, selecting, and negotiating commercially focused product ranges while always maximising sales and margin. You will work with and manage our extensive supply base, build, and maintain good relationships with new and existing suppliers.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Building and developing food & drink ranges both AYR and seasonal, focusing on growing sales and margin delivery.

(Expectation - ownership and co-ordination of new range launches, gathering all required info on commercials, imagery, marketing support and presenting on a monthly basis. Coordination of launch dates, product set up, purchasing, sales team, sales meeting.
- Maintaining relationships with existing suppliers, sourcing and developing relationships with new suppliers to add to the Cress Co portfolio and deliver growth.
- Negotiating terms of contract & supply, negotiating, and agreeing rebate terms with suppliers and bespoke funding
- Obtaining & coordinating info required for completion of catalogues, maintaining product files, image files and price files.
- Presenting new ranges for consideration to management and implementing and co-ordination of launch
- Managing & implementing the promotional calendar, ensuring maximised opportunity with suppliers
- Range reviews with existing suppliers
- Sourcing new product, conducting supplier meetings and negotiating terms of supply ready for sign off.
- Reviewing & collating competitor activity to remain commercially aware.
- System management (Sage)
- Providing relevant information to other departments in the business.
- Attending relevant events and trade shows to network with existing and potential suppliers.
- Ownership of categories within buyer mailbox and present any potentials on a monthly basis.
- Co-ordination of monthly marketing materials including the newsletter compilation ready for sign off.
- Preparing training notes for new catalogue launches including new supplier ranges as well as updates on existing and ensure these are shared with the team ahead of launch.

**Requirements**:

- Previous experience working in a buying role is essential and experience of working in the food industry would be advantageous but not essential.
- High commercial awareness and an ability to identify opportunities for new business.
- A confident negotiator with proven track record.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to liaise effectively at all levels.
- Excellent attention to detail, and the ability to self-manage, plan, and effectively organise your workload.
- Ability to handle multiple priorities and tasks.
- Good IT skills including Excel.
- Analytical and numeracy skills.
- Good interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to work in a cross functional way across the business.
- Willingness to travel (Trade Shows, Events, Comp Shops, Retail visits).

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Referral programme

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

**Experience**:

- Buying: 5 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person