Commercial Buying Analyst

CO-OP; Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Employer pension contributions

Onsite gym access

Staff discount on Co-op products

Pay stream access

Virtual healthcare services

24/7 colleague support

Training and career progression

Cycle-to-work scheme

Job summary

Co-op in Manchester is seeking a commercially driven analyst to turn data into insights that shape supplier negotiations and category strategies. You will own category analyses, evaluate cost increases, and benchmark market trends, influencing decisions across the Commercial team.

You’ll apply advanced Excel skills to dashboards and reporting, communicating clearly to stakeholders and partnering with suppliers to drive value for members and customers.

Qualifications

• Relevant commercial analysis experience in FMCG or related fields.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to turn data into insights.
• Advanced Excel skills for dashboards and complex reporting.
• Clear communication to influence decisions with data.
• Good working knowledge of GSCOP and supplier negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Translate data into actionable insights driving commercial value for Co-op and members.
• Own analysis for a category to generate insights and data-driven decisions.
• Evaluate supplier cost increase submissions using multiple data points.
• Analyse supplier performance to inform partnerships and negotiations.
• Create ad-hoc reports to understand market dynamics and opportunities.
• Collaborate with suppliers to bring external market insight into decisions.
• Conduct external market analysis to benchmark pricing and trends.
• Represent Co-op in supplier conversations, upholding policies.

Skills

Commercial analysis

Advanced Excel

Analytical thinking

Clear communicator

Market awareness

Tools

Excel

Job description

Why this job matters

This is a brilliant opportunity for you to use your commercial knowledge and analytical skills to influence business decisions and build strong supplier relationships. You'll turn complex data into clear insights that help our Senior Buying Managers secure the best value for our customers and member-owners, while driving commercial success across our categories. As part of our Commercial team, you'll be at the forefront of supplier and product performance analysis. Your insights will help us understand cost pressures, evaluate supplier proposals, and make informed recommendations about what goes on our shelves. You'll also bring external market analysis into the mix, benchmarking against competitors, identifying emerging trends, and helping us stay ahead of the curve. This is a chance to make a real impact in a fast-paced, purpose-led business, where your work directly supports customer satisfaction and commercial growth.

What you'll do

• Translate data into actionable insights that drive commercial value for Co-op, our customers, and member-owners
• Own analysis for a category, increasing our capability to generate insight and make data-led decisions
• Evaluate supplier cost increase submissions, using multiple data points to assess impact and value
• Analyse supplier performance across key metrics to inform commercial partnerships
• Create ad-hoc reports that help your team understand market dynamics and identify opportunities
• Collaborate with suppliers to bring external data and market insight into our decision-making
• Conduct external market analysis to benchmark pricing, identify trends, and understand competitor activity
• Represent Co-op in supplier conversations, ensuring our policies and regulatory obligations are upheld

What you'll bring

We want this role to be accessible, so we focus on what really matters. To thrive here, you'll need

• Relevant commercial analysis experience, ideally in FMCG (although we'll consider other backgrounds such as finance, banking, supplier‑side or category management)
• Commercial curiosity, with an interest in market dynamics and competitor activity
• Strong analytical skills, able to turn data into clear, actionable insight
• Advanced Excel capability, including large datasets, dashboards and complex reporting
• Clear communicator, using data to influence decisions and tell compelling stories
• Good working knowledge of GSCOP, applied confidently in day-to-day decisions

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co‑op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong. We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.