Buying Director

Zachary Daniels; Uxbridge; Hybrid; GBP 66,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Birthday leave

Product discounts

Quarterly socials

On-site parking

Autonomy

Job summary

Zachary Daniels in Greater London is seeking a senior Buying Leader to head the buying function, shape product strategy and drive growth in homeware and lifestyle products.

You will own the buying strategy across categories, lead a team of buyers, negotiate with suppliers including the Far East, and report to the CEO for strategic decisions.

This hybrid role offers autonomy, a competitive up-to £110k salary plus bonus and benefits, and real influence in a fast-growing consumer business.

Qualifications

• Significant senior buying/category management experience.
• Proven experience leading and developing a multi-level buying team.
• Strong supplier negotiation experience, ideally with Far East sourcing.
• Experience across multiple consumer goods/FMCG categories.
• Strong commercial understanding, including budgets, margin and P&L.
• Confidence to influence at CEO/board level.
• Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Responsibilities

• Owning and developing the overall buying strategy.
• Setting category, margin and supplier targets.
• Leading, coaching and developing a team of buyers.
• Building and managing key supplier relationships.
• Leading negotiations and sourcing opportunities, including the Far East.
• Driving range and category strategy.
• Using sales, market and trend data to spot opportunities.
• Owning buying budgets, forecasting and margin performance.
• Working closely with Marketing, Operations and Logistics.
• Managing licensed product ranges, including Disney and Bluey.
• Representing the business at trade shows and industry events.
• Reporting on performance, opportunities and risks directly to the CEO.

Skills

Senior buying leadership

Category strategy

Team leadership

Supplier negotiations

Strategic vision

Job description

Greater London | Hybrid | Competitive Salary up to £110k, plus bonus and bens

Homeware and lifestyle products

Are you a senior buying leader who loves building great teams, finding brilliant products and making things happen?

We're working with a fast-growing, entrepreneurial consumer goods business that's on a serious growth journey - and they're looking for a Head of Buying to take their buying function to the next level.

This is a brilliant opportunity to join a business where you won't be drowning in red tape. You'll report directly into the CEO, have real influence over the product strategy and play a key role in shaping how the business grows.

The role

You’ll take ownership of the buying strategy across multiple consumer product categories, leading an established team and making sure the right products, suppliers and commercial opportunities are in place to drive growth.

You’ll manage a team of buyers across different levels, giving them the direction, support and development they need to perform at their best. You’ll also remain hands‑on - building senior supplier relationships, negotiating deals and getting stuck into the big commercial decisions.

Your world will include:

• Owning and developing the overall buying strategy
• Setting category, margin and supplier targets
• Leading, coaching and developing a team of 5
• Building and managing key supplier relationships
• Leading negotiations and sourcing opportunities, including the Far East
• Driving range and category strategy
• Using sales, market and trend data to spot the next big opportunity
• Owning buying budgets, forecasting and margin performance
• Working closely with Marketing, Operations and Logistics
• Managing licensed product ranges, including Disney and Bluey
• Representing the business at trade shows and industry events
• Reporting on performance, opportunities and risks directly to the CEO

What are we looking for?

You’ll need to be an experienced Buying Manager, Head of Buying or senior category leader who has successfully managed a buying team and knows how to balance strategy with getting stuck into the detail.

Ideally, you’ll bring:

• Significant senior buying/category management experience
• Proven experience leading and developing a multi-level buying team
• Strong supplier negotiation experience, ideally with Far East sourcing
• Experience across multiple consumer goods/FMCG categories
• Strong commercial understanding, including budgets, margin and P&L
• The confidence to influence at CEO/board level
• Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

Experience across Amazon, Shopify, TikTok Shop, D2C or wholesale would be a bonus, as would licensed product experience.

Mandarin is desirable but absolutely not essential.

This isn't a role where you'll simply inherit a buying strategy and keep things ticking over.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape the function, develop the team, influence the product direction and genuinely make your mark on a growing business.

You’ll get hybrid working, birthday leave, product discounts, quarterly socials, on‑site parking and, most importantly, plenty of autonomy and opportunity to make a difference.

If you’re a commercially minded buying leader who wants real ownership, real influence and a business with plenty of growth ahead, we’d love to hear from you.