Junior Buyer

Huel Birmingham; Tring; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food company in Tring is seeking a Junior Buyer to enhance their packaging supply chain. The ideal candidate will have strong commercial acumen, experience in buying, and a passion for sustainability. This role offers an opportunity to make a significant impact in a fast-paced environment, with competitive compensation and a range of attractive benefits including hybrid working and wellness programs.

Benefits

Hybrid working arrangement

30 days annual leave

Free on-site gym access

Paid Volunteering Days

Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• 1-2 years experience in buying or procurement in food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Strong relationship-building skills with colleagues and suppliers.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Build and deliver sourcing strategies for packaging.
• Negotiate competitive costs for packaging and merchandise.
• Lead improvements in packaging performance.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Sustainability awareness

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Tools

Google Sheets

Job description

Hey! We\'re Huel, and we\'re pleased to meet you

Our culture thrives on high performance, and we set the bar high for new Hueligans who join us.

We invite you to read the advert below for our new Junior Buyer position to understand the role, and explore our 7 Huel values before applying to ensure we have the right working environment for you!

The role

We’re really proud of our current product range that has helped us achieve over £250m worth of sales in just 10 years, but we want to keep improving. It’s part of our Hueligan DNA to never rest on our laurels, so why should our products?

To help drive things forward, we’re on the lookout for a packaging Junior Buyer to join our team. The role will be based out of our Tring HQ and sit within our Global Sourcing Team, part of the wider operations function that manages Huel’s entire supply chain. With some big opportunities ahead, this is your chance to make a real impact, driving meaningful change and adding value from day one.

Your main focus will be our packaging category. That means building supply chains that run smoothly, ensuring we’re always sourcing the right packaging products, at the right price, from suppliers we can trust, all while upholding Huel’s values and high standards.

Here’s an insight into what you’ll get up to:

• Strategic sourcing – Build and deliver sourcing strategies that support Huel’s global goals, leading the tendering process for your categories.
• Commercial impact – Negotiate competitive costs for packaging and merchandise, always looking for opportunities to deliver savings and value.
• Packaging quality – Lead improvements in packaging performance to support both our third-party manufacturers and our high-tech Milton Keynes factory. By tackling packaging issues and reducing complaints, you’ll help keep operations smooth and customers happy. This is a high-impact area with plenty of opportunity for you to make a real difference.
• Cross-functional collaboration – Partner with teams across NPD, Technical, Marketing, Sustainability, Production and Planning to identify opportunities and drive improvements.
• Sustainability focus – Make sure our packaging meets Huel’s high standards for sustainability and ethics, while staying compliant with current and upcoming legislation across all our markets.
• Technical expertise – Build knowledge with suppliers and provide expert support on packaging-related queries from internal teams and co-manufacturing partners.
• Supplier performance – Set and track quarterly KPIs to evaluate supplier performance, and work closely with partners to drive continuous improvement.
• Problem-solving – Collaborate with Technical to resolve packaging non-conformances, ensuring corrective actions are in place to prevent repeat issues.
• Regulatory compliance – Keep on top of packaging regulations (UK, EU, US, and Asia), leading any projects needed to stay compliant.

What we\'re looking for in you

Ideally, you\'ll have some experience (roughly 1-2 years +) in buying or procurement within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment, but what really matters is that you are:

• Commercially minded – you\'ve got a good commercial acumen and a passion for sustainability.
• Brand proud – enthusiastic about Huel and our products, ready to represent us confidently with suppliers.
• Curious and technical – eager to dig into the details of the products you\'ll be sourcing and build up technical know-how.
• Flexible and adaptable – we move fast, priorities shift, and everyone wears a lot of hats. You\'ll thrive in that environment.
• Proactive and detail-focused – happy to take initiative, spot opportunities, and make sure the small things are done right.
• A great communicator – skilled at building strong relationships, getting the best from colleagues and suppliers, and managing expectations like a pro.
• Comfortable with ambiguity – you don’t wait for perfect clarity, you take responsibility and make things happen.
• Analytical – confident working with data, with strong skills in Google Sheets (or similar).

What do we offer in return?

We know that at times, our teams face demanding pressures, and exceptional effort deserves meaningful rewards. That\'s why we\'ve created a world-class perks and benefits program designed to support our Hueligans in achieving their best, both professionally and personally, while celebrating the global impact they\'re making!

Hybrid working - We spend Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the office together. The remaining two days have the option to be worked from home.

30 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays

Free Huel to keep you going

2 weeks a year to work remotely from anywhere!

Dog friendly

Paid Volunteering Days

On-site gym with free classes, and we will give you your own nutrition plan

On-site wellness area offering infrared saunas and an ice bath

Free 1-on-1 therapy provided by Self-Space

Private Medical and Health insurance for you and your loved ones, including free life insurance covering up to 4x your salary

Electric Car Scheme with onsite charging

Cycle to Work Scheme

Enhanced Family Leave

Workplace Nursery Scheme

Huel Academy

Paid Employee Referral Scheme

Biannual events to celebrate success - Have you heard about Huelchella?

We are Hueligans

We know that diversity isn\'t just important; it’s essential, and it makes us stronger. We\'re all about embracing our differences, celebrating what makes us unique, and bringing together Hueligans from all walks of life.

While we all share the 7 values of Huel, it\'s our individual differences that truly enhance our culture of belonging. We seek out Hueligans from around the world, encouraging authenticity, diverse views, and fresh ideas to create products that our global customers love.

Meet our teams here.