Category Manager

Foodbuy is a leading food procurement organisation based in the UK. With over £1bn of managed spend, we bring together the widest range of foodservice and hospitality clients on the planet to buy food, and everything associated with it. We work closely with our clients to deliver expert procurement services saving them both time and money and enabling them to focus on what really matters to their businesses.

We are looking for a commercially driven Category Manager with experience in the food industry to join our Food Category Development Team to manage our Bakery Category. This role plays an integral part in the development of the category and ultimately the overall success of Foodbuy.

With support from your buyer, you will direct all procurement and supplier management strategies across Bakery including Desserts. You will also be managing our partner Cuisine Centre working alongside their procurement team identifying synergies and commercial value.

Responsibilities:

Working collaboratively with the Category Lead – Added Value & Grocery

• Lead your team to develop and execute a long-term category strategy to deliver sustainable improvements in terms of cost, quality, service, and innovation, in collaboration with the Foodbuy procurement team & other relevant business stakeholders.
• Identify potential new suppliers, visiting, and meeting existing suppliers, building, and maintaining relationships.
• Understand future trends ensuring we are market leading, be able to affect change as needed.
• Deliver financial targets including inflation mitigation, cash & managing debt, new commercial value.
• Develop and maintain long term pricing mechanisms/cost models across subcategories & supply base to drive sustainable competitive advantage and ensure seasonal supply procured at optimum period.
• Ensure your product range is compliant to food safety regulations & sustainability requirements, assuring high quality standards always, optimise as necessary.
• Support your team’s personal development plans, provide regular training, and ensure succession planning in place.
• Support the Category Lead to develop a high performing team culture.
• Be accountable for your category spend.
• Evaluate bid/tenders with the Foodbuy sourcing team and making recommendations based on commercial, technical, supply and quality requirements, using your category expertise and knowledge.
• Communicate industry trends across the business.
• Represent Foodbuy at industry events.
• Regularly review supplier performance to support category growth, identify priorities to drive commercial value.
• Manage category related queries from internal and external stakeholders.
• Support our sales and bid teams.
• Schedule Top to Top meetings with strategic partners to deliver new commercial value, deepen supply partnerships.
• Work closely with sustainability teams to deliver programs and commitments.
• Ensure transparent supply chain and traceability.
• Develop marketing activity calendars to drive branded volume growth.
• Influence our external clients and account teams to adopt our commercial terms and recommendations.

Skills and experience required:

• Already operating as a category buyer looking to develop and progress your career at a more strategic level or looking to use your expertise and experience to shape and define this newly created role.
• Experience in procurement essential.
• Line management experience or proven record of coaching/mentoring.
  • Results Oriented – comfortable delivering against bold and stretching targets.
  • Can be recognised as a subject matter expert.
  • Competent with procurement systems, ideally having used these in current/previous employmentability to develop credible business relationships.
  • Passion for animal welfare
  • Experience of influencing and negotiating with teams at all levels

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families