Produce Buyer

Produce Buyer

We are currently working with a well-established and forward-thinking client looking for a Produce Buyer to join one of their sites located just outside Stratford-upon-Avon. This is a pivotal role that requires an experienced individual who is accustomed to navigating the fresh produce market both in the UK and abroad.

This is a critical role demanding an individual with strategic sourcing expertise, supplier relationship management and fierce negotiation skills. With an analytical mindset, strong communication abilities and a history within the fresh produce market.

Key Responsibilities:

• Keep abreast with market intelligence to ensure best deals on volume and cost
• Develop relationships with growers and suppliers to provide them short, medium and long term programmes
• Manage the on-going performance of suppliers and product range within the scope of the role with responsibility for maintaining and developing margin for the product range and category
• Participate in supplier approval processes ensuring compliance with all due diligence prior to acceptance
• Accountable for stock level management with due consideration to storage capacity & costs, quality, residency limits, use and best purchasing price
• Ensure continuation of year round supply and identify complimentary sources to secure and enhance market share
• Play a key role in product development, supporting key internal stakeholders with effective and practical implementation of sourcing support and requirements
• Maintain an up-to-date database of all growers and suppliers and costing analysis
• Ongoing effectiveness and data accuracy of the ERP system
• Remain commercially aware of customer strategies working in partnership with Commercial to maintain existing and win new business enhancing our market position.
• Continuous liaison with Commercial, Logistics, Finance, Quality & Product Delivery departments
• Ensure purchase orders are diligently and proactively managed on time, resolving issues relating to quality, quantity and carriage. Ensure grower returns are finalised in time to ensure settlement terms adhered to. Invoice verification and approval, ensuring any anomalies are investigated and actioned
• Build strong, long-term stakeholder relationships
• Gain a thorough understanding of the supply chain with particular attention to cost, yield and waste components with a view to deliver cost savings to enhance and protect margin delivery. HRA / JD - Produce Buyer / LM / November 2018 / Version 2
• Fully analyse and understand our value chain to support commercial for successful delivery of agreed trade plans
• Remain abreast of company USP’s to continually promote and protect our brand
• Study key elements for changing consumer behaviour to ensure supply chain and packaging concepts fully aligned
• Be fully engaged in project management to drive YOY target improvement in KPI delivery

Key Requirements:

• Degree Educated and / or an equivalent level vocational qualification
• Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) qualified to at least certificate level
• Working within the fresh produce industry as a Buyer with a minimum of two years of experience within a similar high-pressure role
• Proven experience of contract and supply negotiation
• Advanced skills in the MS office package including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook with high levels of numeracy and literacy essential
• A thorough understanding of the entire supply chain including air, sea and land freight and all customer requirements
• Proven experience of working to strict deadlines with the ability to accurately and methodically multitask
• An understanding of the global seasonal effects and the ability to source from alternative suppliers
• Working within an environment that requires exceptional listening and communication skills with the ability to analyse complex issues and take decisive action
• Fluent English written & verbal. Additional languages would be beneficial especially Spanish and Portuguese
• Full U.K Driving licence. There will be a requirement to travel between sites and to suppliers
• Must have a passport valid for international travel as this will be a requirement of the role
• Possess good experience of Health & Safety within a manufacturing environment, ensuring all employees are operating within and understand the importance of complying with Health & Safety procedures

By applying for this position, you authorise Auctoro Recruitment to hold your personal details on file for use in finding you a suitable position. Auctoro Recruitment will never transfer your information to a third party without your prior consent.