Buyer

Fenwick; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading department store chain is on the lookout for an experienced Food Buyer to drive its Food & Beverage category. This role involves leading strategy, managing supplier relationships, and crafting an appealing product range that reflects customer needs. The ideal candidate will have over 3 years of experience in food buying, strong negotiation skills, and a passion for innovation. This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape engaging in-store and online experiences for customers.

Benefits

33 days annual leave

Birthday off

Up to 25% discount

WeCare GP service

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ experience in Food Buying.
• Ability to identify emerging trends and brands.
• Strong influencing skills at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy and execution of the Food & Beverage category.
• Own the end-to-end buying process: negotiations, launches, strategies.
• Collaborate with teams to drive engagement in-store and online.

Skills

Food Buying experience

Commercial acumen

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation expertise

Data-driven decision-making

Trend analysis

Job description

Are you a driven and experienced Buyer with a passion for food, looking for an opportunity to truly shape a market-leading Food & Beverage offering? If so, this could be the perfect role for you.

When you join Fenwick, you’ll receive :

• 33 days annual leave (inclusive of 8 bank holidays) and a buying holiday benefits scheme in which you are eligible to buy a further 5 days across the year.
• Your birthday off as an additional day annual leave – this can be taken any day within your birth month.
• Up to 25% discount in all Fenwick stores and fenwick.co.uk.
• ‘Perks*’ - a great way to get Retail, Leisure & Hospitality discounts, exclusive deals, and cashback on a wide range of products.
• WeCare -24 / 7 GP, wellbeing advice & support service.

About the Role

We’re looking for an experienced Food Buyer to lead the strategy and execution of Fenwick’s Food & Beverage category, with a key focus on our flagship Food Hall in Newcastle and the wider multichannel offer across stores and online. This role is central to driving sales, profitability and market share, delivering a compelling product range that reflects the Fenwick brand while meeting the needs of local customers.

You’ll own the end-to-end buying process, from range planning and supplier negotiations through to trading, launches and seasonal strategies. With a sharp commercial mindset, you’ll identify emerging trends and innovative brands, optimise margins and stock performance, and work closely with suppliers to build strong, value-driven partnerships. Insight-led decision‑making will be key as you analyse trading performance and spot opportunities for growth and efficiency.

Working collaboratively with Retail, Digital, Marketing and support teams, you’ll help shape a customer‑first Food & Beverage offer that drives engagement both in‑store and online. This role suits a buyer with proven food buying experience, strong influencing skills and a passion for innovation, storytelling and delivering outstanding customer experiences.

What we are looking for in a candidate...

• 3+ years’ experience in Food Buying
• A sharp eye for product and emerging trends
• Proven commercial acumen and negotiation expertise
• Strong supplier relationships and the confidence to influence at all levels
• A data‑driven yet intuitive approach to decision‑making
• Experience in developing product strategies and building business cases
• The ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment
• A passion for innovation, storytelling, and customer experience

About Fenwick

Fenwick is rich with heritage and history and have been style pioneers since 1882 when our first store opened. We know luxury and are proud to remain the largest independent, family‑owned group of department stores within the UK. We are on an exciting journey to exceed our customers' expectations and we are always on the lookout for new talent to join us.

Our collaborative spirit unites a workforce of over 2,000 individuals across our stores, as well as in our support functions, encompassing Digital, Buying & Merchandising, IT, Finance, People, Customer Service teams, and our cherished restaurants and distribution centres.

In 2023 we launched our ‘Quiet No More’ campaign, enhancing our presence on the UK high street as well as our eCommerce website going from strength to strength. Together, we form the beating heart of Fenwick, driving forward our vision for excellence and innovation. Join us as we pave the way toward an even brighter tomorrow, where tradition meets transformation!