Procurement Manager

The Collective Network; England; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A family-owned food business in Hertfordshire seeks a Procurement Manager to lead purchasing activities. The role involves building supplier relationships, negotiating terms, and supporting new product development. The ideal candidate will have experience in the food or manufacturing sector and strong analytical and negotiation skills. A salary of up to £50,000 is offered, along with flexible benefits and a collaborative culture.

Benefits

23 days holiday + bank holidays

Flexible benefits platform

Staff discounts and regular product tastings

Enhanced family leave and death-in-service

Qualifications

• Experience as a Procurement Manager, Buyer, or Senior Buyer in food, beverage, or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of balancing quality, cost, and supply.
• Ability to negotiate and manage supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead all purchasing activity for ingredients, packaging, and materials.
• Review supplier performance and negotiate improved commercial terms.
• Support NPD by sourcing new ingredients and packaging solutions.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Supplier relationship management

Cost management

Job description

Procurement Manager - Food & Drink Manufacturing (up to £50k)

Hertfordshire (on-site, with occasional travel). Permanent, full-time.

Overview

Not every food business is a household name, but some quietly supply the brands you see every day. This is one of those companies. They've been creating high-quality, flavour-focused products for the food and drink industry for a long time. Family-owned, quality-obsessed, and proudly independent, they've built a reputation for reliability, innovation, and doing things the right way. They're now looking for a Procurement Manager to take ownership of purchasing across ingredients and packaging, and to bring structure, strategy, and commercial edge to how they buy.

The role

You'll be the link between suppliers, production, and NPD, building competitive supplier relationships, tracking market trends, and finding smarter, leaner ways to buy. This is a hands-on role where you'll still roll up your sleeves, but you'll also shape how procurement operates across the business. Day to day, you'll:

• Lead all purchasing activity for ingredients, packaging, and materials.
• Review supplier performance and negotiate improved commercial terms.
• Track commodity pricing and translate data into actionable cost strategies.
• Support NPD by sourcing new ingredients and packaging solutions.
• Work closely with Supply Chain and Operations to ensure continuity of supply.
• Develop processes, contracts, and reporting tools that bring consistency and control.

About you

You've probably been working as a Procurement Manager, Buyer, or Senior Buyer in a food, beverage, or manufacturing environment. You understand what it takes to balance quality, cost, and supply. You're confident in negotiations, good with numbers, and naturally curious about how things can be improved. You like being close to the product, you're not afraid of detail, and you want your work to make a visible impact.

The package

• Salary up to £50,000, depending on experience
• 23 days holiday + bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Flexible benefits platform (discounts, wellbeing, etc.)
• Staff discounts and regular product tastings
• Free parking and a collaborative, down-to-earth working culture
• Enhanced family leave and death-in-service after probation

Location

Based in Hertfordshire, with some occasional travel to partner sites across the South East. If you want to build a procurement function that actually makes a difference - not just manage a process - this one's worth a look.