Category Buyer

Foodbuy; Chertsey; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Foodbuy is seeking a Category Buyer - Dairy to manage the procurement process and strategies within the Dairy sector. This role involves negotiating contracts, analyzing market trends, and fostering supplier relationships to ensure quality and value. Join a dynamic team focused on making a difference in the UK food landscape with competitive salary and growth opportunities.

Benefits

Competitive salary and bonus

Pension contributions

Private healthcare

Learning and development opportunities

Collaborative team culture

Qualifications

• Proven experience in food procurement or sourcing.
• Results-driven with a track record of meeting ambitious targets.
• Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end procurement process for the Dairy category.
• Responsible for contract negotiations and supplier management.
• Analyze cost drivers and market trends for sourcing decisions.

Skills

Commercial Awareness

Negotiation Skills

Analytical Skills

Relationship Building

Tools

Jaggaer

SAP

Coupa

Job description

Category Buyer - Dairy
Location: Chertsey or London | Hybrid Working | Part of Compass Group UK&I

About Us
Foodbuy is the UK’s leading food procurement organisation, managing over £2 billion of spend across food and non-food categories. We unite an extensive network of foodservice and hospitality clients, helping them buy smarter so they can focus on what matters most to their businesses.

As the UK’s largest Group Purchasing Organisation and part of the Compass Group UK & Ireland family, we partner directly with manufacturers and growers—ranging from leading global brands to local suppliers. Our scale and reach create exciting career opportunities within a FTSE 100 business, where purpose, people, and performance go hand in hand.

The Role
We’re looking for a Category Buyer - Dairy to join our food-loving, fast-paced team. In this role, you’ll support the end-to-end procurement process, helping to shape and deliver our Dairy category strategy. You’ll be responsible for contract negotiations, supplier management, pricing, and ensuring product quality—all while delivering great commercial outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Category Development Manager in delivering a long-term strategy for Dairy, driving improvements in cost, quality, innovation, and service.
  
• Work closely with finance to meet or exceed operating cash flow and savings targets.
  
• Build strong supplier relationships, from identifying new partners to managing ongoing performance.
  
• Analyse cost drivers and market trends to inform sourcing decisions and pricing strategies.
  
• Ensure sustainable, long-term pricing mechanisms across various commodities and routes to market.
  
• Collaborate with the supply chain team to ensure consistent and timely delivery.
  
• Champion compliance with food safety, CSR, and nutritional standards.
  
• Own the Dairy category spend and be accountable for its performance.
  
• Evaluate supplier bids in collaboration with the sourcing team, using your category expertise.
  
• Share market insights across the business and support the sales and bid teams.
  
• Maintain supplier price files and manage category-related queries.
  
• Drive compliance through use of contracted suppliers and core product ranges.
  

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in food procurement or sourcing.
  
• Results-driven with a track record of meeting ambitious targets.
  
• Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills.
  
• Experience with procurement systems (e.g. Jaggaer, SAP, Coupa - or similar).
  
• Excellent relationship-building skills and the confidence to influence stakeholders.
  
• A genuine passion for food and the food industry.
  
• Organised, analytical, and capable of managing multiple projects at once.
  

Why Join Foodbuy?

• You'll get a competitive salary, bonus, pension contributions and private healthcare
  
• Be part of a purpose-driven business making a difference to the UK food landscape.
  
• Grow your career with one of the UK’s most respected procurement organisations.
  
• Enjoy a collaborative, inclusive team culture where your ideas are valued.
  
• Access excellent learning, development, and progression opportunities within Compass Group.