Buyers Assistant - Food & Wine Supply Chain Administrator

Alivini Company Limited; England; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing Food & Drink supply chain company seeks a detail-oriented Buyer Assistant to manage logistics and imports. This full-time role involves coordinating with producers and customs, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, and managing multiple shipments. Ideal candidates will have at least 2 years of experience in logistics and supply chain management, along with fluency in Italian and English. Join a quality-driven team focused on premium products.

Benefits

Company pension

Employee discount

Qualifications

• Fluent in Italian and English, both spoken and written.
• Minimum 2 years experience in supply chain, logistics, or importing.
• Strong understanding of customs clearance and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with Italian and English-speaking food and drink producers.
• Coordinate shipping, transportation, and import logistics.
• Support food safety and compliance requirements.

Skills

Fluent Italian and English

Experience in supply chain or logistics

Strong understanding of import processes

Knowledge of food safety and compliance

Strong numerical and analytical skills

Excellent organisational skills

Ability to manage multiple shipments

Education

Certificate of Higher Education

Job description

About the role

We are seeking a highly organiser‑d and detail‑driven Buyer Assistant to support our Food & Drink supply chain and buying operations. This role sits at the heart of our importing activity, working closely with Italian and UK producers, logistics partners, clearance agents, and internal commercial teams to ensure the smooth flow of premium products from origin to warehouse.

This position is ideal for someone with strong operational capability, a methodical approach, and an interest in food safety, compliance, and international logistics.

Key Responsibilities

• Liaise with Italian and English‑speaking food & drink producers
• Act as a key point of contact for logistics partners, freight forwarders, and transport providers
• Coordinate shipping, transportation, and import logistics
• Work closely with customs and clearance agents, supporting clearance and documentation processes
• Monitor inbound shipments and update ETAs, ensuring accurate and timely communication
• Assist with sales and stock forecasting, supporting availability planning
• Check, prepare and manage mandatory import and export documentation
• Support food safety and compliance requirements, including SALSA documentation
• Inspect goods on arrival, ensuring quality, quantity and specification
• Manage and resolve goods, quality or delivery‑related issues
• Upload and maintain importing and shipment data within the Transporter’s Portal
• Support the sales team with stock status, availability and lead times
• Manage invoicing for OCM events and food & drink trade fairs
• Process bank transfers to suppliers
• Organise travel arrangements, diary management and operational administration
• Handle parking fines and general office support tasks

Skills & Experience

• Fluent Italian and English (spoken and written) – essential
• Experience in supply chain, logistics, importing, buying support or operations
• Strong understanding of import processes, customs clearance and documentation
• Knowledge of food safety, traceability and compliance, ideally within SALSA‑accredited environments
• Strong numerical and analytical skills to support forecasting and stock planning
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple shipments, deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously

Why Join Us?

• Play a key operational role in a growing Food & Drink supply chain
• Work with international artisan producers and specialist logistics partners
• Gain hands‑on exposure to importing, customs, forecasting and compliance
• Be part of a quality‑driven, operationally focused Food & Drink business

Job Type: Full‑time

Benefits

• Company pension
• Employee discount

Location: Finsbury Park N4 1DN (preferred)

Commute/Relocate: Reliable commute or plan to relocate to Finsbury Park before starting work (preferred).

Application method: Email

Education & Experience

• Education: Certificate of Higher Education (preferred)
• Experience – Supply chain, logistics, importing: 2 years (required)
• Experience – Import processes, customs clearance: 2 years (required)
• Experience – Italian food products: 2 years (required)

Additional Requirements

• Language: Italian (required)
• Work authorisation: United Kingdom (required)
• Location: Finsbury Park N4 1DN (preferred)