Senior Buyer

The purpose of this role is to unlock cost of goods benefits and to deliver volume, sales and margin targets for the category. This includes negotiating the lowest cost price for product vs. market, sourcing relevant products from the most appropriate suppliers, developing supplier partnerships, improving availability, contingency planning where relevant and helping to drive overall sales, profitability, and efficiencies. You will work at both a local country level, but also as part of the wider European Constellation buying alliance.

The current vacancy is within our Impulse buying team - branded and own brand. **We are offering a remote base contract with 1-2 days every 2 weeks in our Ashford, Kent office, so you will ideally be located in the South East/London, and travel expenses will be reimbursed. Flexibility will be required for team and supplier meetings.**

**Key Responsibilities**
- To help create, lead, and deliver on the category strategy for the team, including any specific projects supporting Sysco growth strategy.
- Accountability for developing supplier partnerships, selecting an appropriate supplier base, supported by merchandising, technical and supply chain colleagues.
- To agree cost prices for all products, with annual terms agreed on time showing year on year improvement.
- To monitor supplier performance in terms of overall gross margin, competitiveness, and availability. Agree corrective action where necessary.
- To agree joint business plans with key suppliers, including investment plans to activate digital and marketing product opportunities.
- To maintain accurate cost files, and savings pipelines & trackers.
- To support category management in range decisions (including brand tiering and the role of the Sysco brand) to drive sales.
- Work with the product development team to innovate and create value throughout the end-to-end supply chain, meeting Sysco sustainability strategy.
- To support sales team in tenders and with specific customer pitches.
- To give the business market insight to support pricing decisions and ensure benchmarking across the market to remain competitive.
- Communicate at Board level internally and with suppliers.
- Work across Sysco GB Group & the Constellation procurement alliance.

**You**:
You’ll live and breathe Customer First, with an innovative and agile approach to identify new ideas and methods. You’ll enjoy working collaboratively with a dedicated focus on driving and delivering results. You will be resilient and work well with ambiguity and building future solutions. Naturally, you will embrace an inclusive working environment and be committed to acting with integrity and honesty in everything you do.

**Required skills and competencies**:

- ** Must have** previous experience in a similar Grocery Buyer/Procurement Manager role within Retail, Supermarket or a large foodservice organisation, with international scope & currency management, and different tendering models
- Proven track record of managing a significant cost of goods with strong motivation to deliver cost savings
- Experience of working with external customers and driving sales and margin growth
- Experience working within a cross functional team
- Experience of building category strategies to deliver growth.
- MS office
- min of intermediate excel, word and PowerPoint
- Flexibility to travel
- Extensive negotiation training and awareness of FMCG purchasing processes
- Confidence and experience in presenting to large audiences