Buying Manager

GAIL's; Greater London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fresh bread daily

50% discount at GAIL's

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Discounts from retailers

Job summary

A bakery company in Greater London seeks a Buying Manager to oversee 'The Pantry', managing procurement for specialty products like jams and drinks. The ideal candidate will have experience in strategic planning, supplier relationship management, and strong negotiation skills. Responsibilities include leading procurement strategies, collaborating with creative teams, and ensuring commercial performance, with a commitment to sustainability. Enjoy perks like fresh bread daily and significant discounts at GAIL’s.

Qualifications

• Experience at Buying Manager level or equivalent with strong results.
• Expertise in strategic plans and budget forecasts.
• Ability to nurture supplier and partner relationships.
• Effective communicator across all levels.
• Passionate about sustainability and ethical sourcing.

Responsibilities

• Drive initiatives to outperform budgets and remove non-value costs.
• Own merchandising space usage for better commercial performance.
• Manage the full procurement process from research to supplier performance.
• Collaborate with Creative Studio and Operations teams on new range delivery.
• Monitor competitor landscape continuously.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Strategic planning

Supplier relationship management

Communication

Organizational skills

Job description

Overview

As the GAIL’s Buying Manager, you will be responsible for the category we call ‘The Pantry’. This is a collection of branded and un-branded third party produced products, including our jams, butter, honey, coffee and drinks such as Momo Kombucha and Rapscallion.

Responsibilities

• Drive initiatives to outperform vs budget and remove cost where it doesn’t add value.
• Own the use of merchandising space and work in partnership with Operations & Creative Studio to drive more relevance to customers and stronger commercial performance.
• Own the GAIL’s Craft Community and the supplier partnership strategy. Be the face of GAIL’s to many of our most special relationships.
• Manage the full procurement process including market research, competitive pricing, supplier selection and negotiation, contract implementation and supplier performance review.
• Actively maintain live knowledge of supply markets and develop/ implement buying strategy.
• Pro-actively find interesting new partners based on the creative vision for The Pantry.
• Collaborating with the Creative Studio, coffee, NPD and Technical teams you’ll be driving the delivery of new ranges into GAIL’s.
• Understand and participate in the Innovation Stage Gate process, to ensure the on-time delivery of new launches within the seasonal plan.
• At all times you will have a close eye on the competitor and industry landscape.
• Be a true partner to the Creative Studio and Operations teams, so you can deliver the vision in a way which is sympathetic to the realities of operating our bakeries
• Protect the integrity of our GAIL’s Craft Community whilst driving the commercial performance of the ranges. Engage with Finance and Data & Insight to provide fact-based insights on what can change and why.

Qualifications

• Experience ideally at Buying Manager level or equivalent, with a record of delivering strong results. Knowledge of negotiating skills such as GAP approach.
• Experience in creating and delivering strategic plans and budget forecasts.
• Experience nurturing small supplier and partner relationships
• Confident communicator who can engage effectively at all levels.
• Able to live the values each day and is passionate about our mission to change the food system through sustainability, ethical sourcing and making things better each day
• Someone who can make things happen, is highly organised and can support our ambition to be one of the best bakeries in the world.

What’s in it for you

• Fresh bread daily to take home to enjoy with family and friends.
• 50% discount at GAIL’s and 40% off at The Bread Factory & The Flour Station Markets.
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Discounts and Savings from high-street retailers and restaurants