Buyer

At Creed Foodservice, we believe a great workplace starts with great people. Our teams are at the heart of everything we do, bringing passion and expertise to deliver top-quality food products to chefs and caterers across the UK. As part of the Country Range Group, we’ve been making a difference in the food industry since 1972.

With distribution centres in Cheltenham, Ilkeston, and High Wycombe, we ensure reliable service nationwide. We’re proud to be a Living Wage accredited employer and were recognised as one of the Top 75 Best Companies to Work For in 2023. If you’re looking for a workplace that values its people and offers real opportunities to grow, Creed is the place to be!

Role Details

We're looking for a dynamic Buyer to take ownership of a defined product category within our fast-paced foodservice division. You'll play a key role in shaping category strategy, maximising margin, and delivering real value to our customers

Some responsibilities of the role include:

• Listen to employee, customer, and stakeholder feedback and take action to improve employee engagement and improve and develop Best Companies action plans and results.
• Share ideas and develop innovative ways of working to improve company performance and employee engagement in line with the business strategy within the departmental budget.
• Ensure that the department demonstrates professionalism and delivers an awesome customer experience to both internal and external customers.
• To ensure the operations within the buying team are effective and efficient to deliver overall business, financial revenue, margin and income targets
• Full P&L responsibility for the category, including sales, income, and margin performance.
• Maximise category margin through effective range, pricing, promotional planning, and supplier income management.
• Develop and deliver the category strategy across all subcategories, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Produce accurate monthly forecasts for supplier income and category income (CI)
• Provide regular updates and presentations to key internal and external stakeholders including the senior leadership team.
• Plan and manage promotional buy-ins, including Stir It Up (SIU) and Deal of the Day, ensuring profitability and availability.
• Control and optimise stock value within the category, balancing commercial performance with inventory health.
• Manage Stock Keeping Units (SKU’s) and supplier count, maintaining a commercially effective and operationally efficient assortment
• Drive and deliver category projects on time and in full (OTIF), ensuring strategic initiatives are executed successfully.
• Create and execute the annual marketing plan for the category in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Ensure pricing and promotional accuracy, guaranteeing visibility and usability for sales teams.
• Communicate and sell the category vision internally and externally to engage key stakeholders and suppliers

It is essential that you have the following:

• Strong I.T and administration skills, Numeracy, and a good level of English.
• Customer Service Focus, Excellent communication, interpersonal, relationship building, and stakeholder management skills.
• An action-oriented individual, who is solutions focused, can manage multiple priorities, and deliver results on time.
• A good team player, with attention to detail and good problem-solving skills that follows processes in place and prioritises business improvement.
• Experience taking ownership of category P&L include sales, income and margin performance.
• A good understanding of key metrics that impact the commercial revenues including Overider, Marketing income & Product Rebates and Experience managing the Product Lifecycle; List, Launch, Review, De-list.
• Experience in SKU rationalisation, category management, supplier negotiations, and margin management.
• FMCG Product knowledge ideally gained from within one of the ‘out of home’ channels.
• Experience collating, tracking, managing, and reporting on personal revenue targets accurately.
• An understanding of product allergens, nutritional information, and government food legislation (Sugar Tax, HFSS Etc)
• Experienced and confident at delivering presentations.
• Excellent networking, negotiation and analytical skills.
• Good knowledge of project management principles.
• Proficient in MS Office, particularly Excel.
• Experience preparing and managing action plans and budgets effectively including cost management.
• Willingness to Travel and the flexibility to accommodate planned overnight stays for attendance at events, with reasonable notice provided.

Desirable

• Experience working within the Foodservice sector, or other similar operation. Experience using Power BI or equivalent.
• Excellent project management skills and experience managing projects.
• Good knowledge of change management principles.
• CIPS Qualification.
• Experience and knowledge of implementing & managing Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) & Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to drive financial governance of margin.
• Demonstrable experience in developing in collaboration with the Marketing function strong supplier marketing plans to drive customer conversion for sustainable long-term growth.
• Experience designing, contributing to and developing category projects and initiatives.

What you get in return:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Referral programme
• Store discount

Creed also offer employees the opportunity to join our Savings Scheme, join the Staff Lottery to support our selected charities and be in with the chance of winning £250 each month, an additional day off each year which you can use to help a charitable cause of your choice and much more. We are also a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer