Category Buyer

Pets Choice is home to fast growing and leading Pet brands including Webbox, TastyBone, Meatiful, Felight, Bob Martin & Vets Kitchen. We are the 5th largest Branded Pet products manufacturer in the UK going through continuous and sustainable growth with ambition to be number one, and ambition to be the best that we can be

Working as part of the Procurement Team your role is to support the business with planned procurement of raw materials, ingredients and hygiene products ensuring best quality and best price to ensure the business continues to provide quality products at competitive pricing.

In this role you will be responsible for:

• Supplier Relationship Management to allow negotiation and the procurement of goods and services providing continuity of supply, best quality, and competitive pricing.
• Monitor and record current and future expenditure to support budgeted targets.
• Record monthly cost savings or cost avoidance figures.
• Work with the Production Planner to identify company needs and satisfy material requirement.
• Manage and implement an efficient supply plan (no out of stock) based on forecasted demand.
• Raise purchase orders and/or blanket orders.
• Communicate with suppliers to agree delivery schedules and checking order progress to ensure that they are maintained.
• Manage all purchase order changes to ensure data is correct and visible.
• Liaise with the Technical team and follow through to a satisfactory resolve upon the receipt of non-compliance of goods.
• Investigate and resolve invoice queries and service level issues.
• Monitor and report Vendor service levels.
• Monitor and report Category spend.
• Preparing and benchmarking of prospective vendors against our existing approved supply chain working in conjunction with Technical team. Optimising our current Supply base (selection, planning and execution).
• Report and escalate any potential Supply Chain risk.
• Data integrity, provide item attribute details for NPD & EPD products to the Master Data Administrator for all items assigned within your Category Area and update as required.
• Monitor and update key purchasing parameters on all items within your assigned Category Area. (MOQ, Min/Max Order volumes, lead times etc).
• Ensure price lists are maintained.
• Monitor and report on market trends, predictions, and information.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with key areas of the business, Quality/Technical, Finance, warehouse, Production etc.
• Promote and influence the wider business to ensure areas of spend are channelled through Procurement.
• Assist the Head of department by positively raising the profile of the Procurement team within the business.

Sound interesting?

We're looking for the following skills and competencies:

• Excellent negotiation and key buying skill sand experience.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Adaptable and flexible, and with a high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Computer literate in Microsoft Office applications
• Ability to work as part of a team or individually with good time management.
• A high level of enthusiasm and initiative.
• Minimum 2 years experience as Category Buyer
• FMCG / food manufacturing background

Hybrid working: Blackburn Head Office 3 days per week / WFH 2 days per week.