Category Buyer

Commercial Services; Aylesford; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Birthday Day Off

Concessionary Day off

Life assurance 4x salary

Pension scheme 4% employer

Retail discounts

Health cash plan

Cycle to work

Volunteer days

Wellbeing programme

CSG Academy learning & development

Job summary

Global Education Supplies (GES) is part of Commercial Services Group (CSG). A Category Buyer is sought to manage supplier relationships and develop profitable product ranges across categories. The role involves negotiations, pricing decisions, data management and market analysis to deliver value and growth.

You will work in a hybrid setup across locations including Shrewsbury or Aylesford, with a focus on delivering cost savings, supplier performance and category profitability.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a sourcing or procurement environment.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to secure savings.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and product life cycles.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder relationship skills.

Responsibilities

• Managing supplier negotiations to secure competitive cost prices, rebates, marketing contributions and favourable terms.
• Setting sell prices aligned to market requirements and category margin targets.
• Supporting bidding activity with quotes, samples and product data.
• Defining and managing supplier relationships using agreed categorisation approaches.
• Planning and leading supplier review meetings to monitor service levels and performance.
• Managing supplier onboarding and ensuring accurate system data and product onboarding.
• Sourcing new products aligned to market trends and business needs.
• Conducting competitor analysis and reporting on pricing and market trends.
• Securing promotional pricing for marketing campaigns.
• Identifying and managing risks linked to sourcing strategies.
• Providing monthly KPI reporting on spend, savings, revenue, margin and category performance.
• Managing annual diary activities including supplier reviews, trade shows and seasonal planning.

Skills

Supplier negotiations

Pricing strategy

Bidding support

Supplier relationships

Data management

Market analysis

KPI reporting

Sourcing

Competitor analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Location: Hybrid/Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Aylesford, Kent

Salary/package: £28,000 to £35,000 per annum DOE

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week

Commercial Services Group (CSG) are looking for a proactive individual with a solutions focused approach to play a key role in managing product ranges and supplier relationships across your allocated categories.

Who we are

Global Education Supplies (GES) is part of the Children & Education portfolio at Commercial Services Group (CSG), comprising six complementary brands that serve the global education sector. These include KCS Education, Landscapes for Learning, Maudesort, Gresswell, Timstar and Technology Supplies. With a customer base spanning more than 90 countries, GES is entering a transformational phase focused on international growth, new product development, marketing investment and operational excellence.

Why this role matters

The Category Buyer will play a key role in shaping commercially viable product ranges and ensuring strong supplier performance across cost, quality and service. This is a role with responsibility for delivering profitable supplier agreements and market-leading product propositions.

What you'll be doing

• Managing supplier negotiations to secure competitive cost prices, rebates, marketing contributions and favourable terms.
• Setting sell prices aligned to market requirements and category margin targets.
• Supporting bidding activity with quotes, samples and product data.
• Defining and managing supplier relationships using agreed categorisation approaches.
• Planning and leading supplier review meetings to monitor service levels and performance.
• Managing supplier onboarding and ensuring accurate system data as well as product onboarding and discontinuation including system setup and product information.
• Sourcing new products aligned to market trends and business needs.
• Conducting competitor analysis and reporting on pricing and market trends.
• Securing promotional pricing for marketing campaigns.
• Identifying and managing risks linked to sourcing strategies.
• Providing monthly KPI reporting on spend, savings, revenue, margin and category performance.
• Managing annual diary activities including supplier reviews, trade shows and seasonal planning.

What we're looking for

• Proven experience in a sourcing or procurement environment.
• CIPS qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to secure savings and long-term supplier commitment.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and understand product life cycles.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Highly organised, detail-focused and confident working with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience tracking and measuring performance against targets.
• Proficient IT skills particularly use of Microsoft Office packages.

What you'll get in return

Salary of £35,000 per annum.

• 25 days annual leave, increasing with length of service.
• Birthday Day Off.
• One Concessionary Day off during the Christmas Period.
• Life assurance cover (4x salary).
• Pension scheme with 4% employer contribution.
• Additional benefits including retail and gym discounts, health cash plan and cycle to work scheme.
• Volunteer days and access to a comprehensive wellbeing programme.
• Tailored development support with real opportunities to progress.
• Access to Learning & Development opportunities via our CSG Academy.

Why CSG?

CSG is the UK's largest local authority-owned trading company (LATCO), generating over £700 million in revenue per annum and supporting more than 16,000 education and public sector customers globally. We are growing through a combination of organic development, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Our 35+ businesses deliver services across education, IT, HR, legal, energy, procurement and more, all focused on delivering meaningful impact. As a locally owned organisation, we take pride in reinvesting a significant proportion of our profits into frontline services, helping strengthening the communities we serve.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We encourage applications from suitably qualified people of all backgrounds. As a member of Inclusive Employers with Silver Accreditation, we are actively building an environment that supports inclusion, flexibility and belonging for all colleagues. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our application and interview process; please let us know if you require any