Category Manager - Poultry & Red Meat

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); Woking; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in procurement is seeking a skilled Buyer to support their procurement strategy. The successful candidate will optimize supplier relationships, ensure sustainable sourcing, and deliver commercial value through effective negotiation and supplier management. This role demands excellent communication and analytical skills, with a focus on achieving productivity improvements and cost reductions.

Qualifications

• Experience in multi-national, large-scale organisations, preferably in FMCG and Food Manufacturing sectors.
• Extensive procurement experience within a matrix organisation.

Responsibilities

• Maximises end-to-end value creation by optimising the supplier base.
• Leads the process to identify and select compliant suppliers.
• Ensures successful delivery of procurement actions for rationalising co-packers.

Skills

Negotiation

Supplier Management

Commercial Awareness

Communication

Analytical Skills

Education

Degree or equivalent

Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS)

Job description

Overview

PURPOSE & IMPACT: The role supports the execution of the procurement strategy for the segment by ensuring business requirements are met through procuring goods and services in a sustainable and ethical way, whilst optimising costs, maintaining quality standards, and mitigating supply chain risks.

Responsibilities

Delivers Commercial Value

• Maximises end-to-end value creation by optimising the supplier base, leveraging our scale, harmonising specifications for goods/services, and standardising payment and other contractual terms with suppliers.
• Continuously strives to identify ways to unlock value by working collaboratively with suppliers to reduce costs sustainably.
• Uses market intelligence to forecast price and market trends, leveraging this knowledge in negotiations to deliver value.
• Owns the delivery of annual targets for productivity improvements, materials productivity, and reductions in COGs for the segment.

Sourcing goods & services sustainably and ethically

• Minimises environmental impact by working with the Sustainability Team to define and deliver the sustainable and ethical sourcing action plan.
• Proactively builds supply chain resilience by identifying and resolving risks.

Owns Supplier Performance

• Leads the process to identify and select compliant suppliers for their segment.
• Manages supplier relationships, tailoring the approach as required.
• Measures and tracks supplier performance, resolving issues proactively, and ensuring compliance with policies and laws.

* For suppliers serving multiple segments, the Buyer with the highest spend manages the relationship and rationalisation discussions.

Delivers project outcomes on time and in full

• Ensures successful delivery of procurement actions for rationalising co-packers and insourcing production, collaborating with other teams.
• Supports product & SKU rationalisation by engaging with teams, using market intelligence, and ensuring procurement actions are executed effectively.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent
• Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) or similar qualification
• Experience in multi-national, large-scale organisations, preferably in FMCG and Food Manufacturing sectors
• Extensive procurement experience within a matrix organisation
• Proven track record in delivering value through negotiation, supplier management, and commercial awareness
• Experience across multi-function, multi-geography, and multi-category projects
• Excellent communication and analytical skills, capable of distilling complex information into clear messages