Buyer, Level 5, Waitrose & Partners

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); Bracknell; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company seeks a Level 5 Buyer for their Trading team in Health and Beauty. The role involves working collaboratively in a Category Pod, supporting the Trading Manager, and enhancing buying skills within the team. Ideal candidates will possess strong commercial experience and effective communication skills, with a focus on data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Experience of communicating at all levels of the business.
• Training in negotiation skills and understanding of industry compliance.
• Ability to empower others and work collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Work in a Category Pod to deliver shared KPIs.
• Support the Trading Manager and deputize when necessary.
• Upskill the buying community through coaching and mentoring.

Skills

Commercial experience

Negotiation skills

Data based decision making

Performance management

Collaborative approach

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

Waitrose & Partners prides itself on being different. Our intention is to combine the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist food shop. Add this to our unswerving dedication to our customers and the highest respect for our suppliers (the provenance and traceability of our food is vital) and, of course, the environment and you can start to see we're a bit more than 'just' a supermarket.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our fantastic Trading team as a Level 5 Buyer reporting into the Trading Manager in the Health and Beauty Category.

At a Glance

• Salary - £60,000 - £90,000
• Contract type - This is a 12 month fixed term contract position.
• Location - This role is based at our Bracknell Head Office.
• Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team aim for around 2-3 days a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings.
• Interviews will be held in person w/c 2nd June.

What will you be doing?

In this role, you will;

• Work in a Category Pod, consisting of but not limited to Buyer, Merchandiser, Supply Planners, Technologist, Product Developer, deliver shared KPIs for the pod through collaborative working.
• Support the Category Pod to deliver individual accountabilities (Indirect Shared KPIs)
• Upskill and develop buying skills of the buying community through peer to peer coaching and mentoring,sharing best practice to facilitate cross pollination between Category Pods.
• Facilitate horizontal working across Category Pods
• Deputising for Trading Manager- Support the Trading Manager with key work streams and deputise where necessary to enable teams to deliver their category plans

This role would suit someone who is self motivated, with an ability to influence internal stakeholders and inspire our suppliers to invest in Waitrose.

This would be Ideal for a confident, assertive person, with good communication and numerical skills. The ability to work in a matrix way across the boundaries of hard line reporting is crucial. Creativity and a passion for products are also desirable.

External candidates please see the job outline attached to this vacancy for further details.

Essential skills you'll need

• Commercial experience at Buyer equivalent delivering strong results.
• Experience of communicating at all levels of the business and/or worked in other directorates at equivalent level of commercial experience/exposure.
• Training in negotiation skills (e.g. GAP) and understanding of industry compliance (GSCOP & Competition Law)
• Data based decision making experience
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Effective performance management skills
• Experience of working together across boundaries
• Ability to empower others
• Collaborative approach

For internal use only:

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To learn more about this role, please copy and paste this link into a new browser window: https://embed.wirewax.com/8114190

Closing Date:
May 26, 2025

Pay:
£60,000.00 - £90,000.00 Annual

Contract Type:
Temporary

Hours of Work:
35 hours per week, Mon-Fri

Job Level:
Partnership Level 5

Where You'll Be Working:
Bracknell Campus, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It's important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you'll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.