Buying Assistant

The Compleat Food Group; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days holiday (incl. bank holidays)

Volunteer days

Wellbeing and community groups

Training opportunities via LMS

Charity initiatives and team events

Grocery Aid access

Gym discounts and wellbeing tools

Holiday discounts on online retail

Job summary

The Compleat Food Group is hiring a Buying Assistant to join our Nottingham-based procurement team. You’ll support sourcing of ingredients and materials, build supplier relationships, and assist in creating category plans that drive value and performance.

Working with the Procurement Manager, you’ll help deliver procurement strategies, monitor market trends and contribute to projects that optimise quality, cost and supply while developing your buying experience in a fast-paced manufacturing

Qualifications

• Understanding of strategic sourcing and category management within agreed categories.
• Understanding of supplier relationship management and building relationships with strategic suppliers.
• Experience delivering or supporting procurement projects through to completion.
• Basic understanding of contract law and procurement processes.
• Willingness to work towards a professional procurement qualification such as CIPS.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing ingredients and materials aligning with business requirements and best balance of quality, service, cost, innovation and supply security.
• Support Procurement Manager with supplier sourcing activities and new supplier onboarding.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders to support objectives.
• Monitor market trends and supplier activity, share insights and impacts with the business.
• Assist with supply chain risk assessment and mitigation plan implementation.
• Support category management activities and delivery of procurement strategies across categories.
• Collaborate with NPD Buying team to source materials meeting customer and product development needs.
• Support procurement projects, supplier negotiations and continuous improvement initiatives with findings.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Supplier relationship management

Project delivery

Procurement processes

Education

CIPS qualification in progress

Job description

Join Our Procurement Team at The Compleat Food Group!

We’re excited to offer an incredible opportunity for a Buying Assistant to join us at our site in Nottingham!

We’re seeking a Buying Assistant to join our Procurement team and support the sourcing of ingredients and materials across the business. Working closely with the Procurement Manager and other key teams, you'll help build strong supplier relationships, support category plans, and contribute to projects that drive value, innovation, and business performance. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to develop their buying and procurement experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Who We Are:

The Compleat Food Group are one of the UK’s fastest growing chilled food manufacturing companies. We are dedicated to delivering excellence in every aspect of our operations. Our commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence sets us apart.

At The Compleat Food Group we don’t just make food. We make food to feel good, taste good and do good for everyone.

Our aim is to raise the bar and delight our customers and consumers every day, they are at the heart of all our decision making. We work at the correct pace to take clear decisive actions and deliver on our commitments, on time, every time to drive positive difference, we have the courage to think differently and challenge the status quo.

Working Hours:

This is a Hybrid role and the working hours are Monday to Thursday 8.30am - 5pm, Friday 8.30am - 4pm.

Your Duties Will Include:

• Sourcing ingredients and materials in line with business requirements, ensuring the best balance of quality, service, cost, innovation and security of supply.
• Supporting Procurement Manager with supplier sourcing activities and the introduction of new suppliers.
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders to support business objectives.
• Monitoring market trends and supplier activity, sharing relevant insights and potential impacts with the wider business.
• Assisting with the assessment of supply chain risks and supporting the implementation of mitigation plans.
• Supporting category management activities and the delivery of procurement strategies across agreed categories.
• Working closely with the NPD Buying team to source new materials and ingredients that meet customer and product development requirements.
• Supporting procurement projects, supplier negotiations and continuous improvement initiatives, presenting findings and recommendations where required.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Understanding of the importance of strategic sourcing and category management within agreed categories.
• Understanding of supplier relationship management and the ability to build effective relationships with strategic suppliers.
• Previous experience of delivering or supporting projects through to completion.
• Basic understanding of contract law and procurement processes.
• Willingness to work towards a professional procurement qualification, such as CIPS.

Benefits to Include:

• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 2 Employee Volunteering Days per year
• Employee well-being and community support groups
• Informal and Formal training opportunities with personalised online LMS platform
• Charity Initiatives and Team events
• 24/7 Access to Grocery Aid (Free Financial, Emotional and Practical Support)
• Physical Wellbeing Benefits – Free on demand exercise hub and various gym discounts.
• Free Financial wellbeing – mortgage calculators, budget tools, financial aid tools
• Holiday Discounts via Online Retail Discount

The Compleat Food Group fosters an inclusive, respectful culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued. We welcome diverse talent, knowing it drives exceptional results and a better workplace.

We are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect, we ensure all colleagues can thrive by bringing their whole selves to work. As an equal opportunity’s employer, we provide all the support you need to succeed.

Recruitment Agencies:

We have a small, active and trusted Preferred Supplier List to assist us if required. We do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions. We only accept CV submissions for roles released to you directly by our Talent Acquisition team.

What You Should Know About How We Recruit

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe great teams are built on difference. We create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and are able to be themselves at work.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, just let us know, we’ll support you — confidentially and with care.

We hire the best people for our roles, not the same people. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, we focus on what you do and the impact you could make in our business. Our recruitment process is fair, accessible, and designed to give everyone an equal chance.

You’ll also find benefits that support people at every life stage, plus active internal networks — including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodiversity