Procurement Manager
Wasabi Sushi and Bento
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Wasabi is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead sourcing and commercial management for direct spend categories, focusing on proteins and other fresh materials. Based in Park Royal, you will drive sourcing strategies, cost savings and supplier performance across a global landscape.
You will manage a team, collaborate with Operations, NPD, Finance and Commercial functions, and shape sustainable procurement practices supporting Wasabi’s growth and ESG goals.
Qualifications
- Significant experience procuring proteins, including chicken and salmon, in food manufacturing, QSR, FMCG or food retail.
- Degree-level qualification and/or relevant professional qualification in supply chain or purchasing.
- Proven negotiation of high-value categories with a global supplier base, including brokers and service providers.
- Track record of delivering cost savings in inflationary environments and leading cost/supply projects.
- Understanding of market-driven pricing with analytical and financial skills to justify decisions.
- Experience coaching or managing a buyer or junior team member.
- Working knowledge of ERP applications.
- Experience with other food categories such as fresh raw materials, rice, oil and seasonings.
- Exposure to commodity price risk management, including hedging.
- Exposure to third-party or co-manufacturing.
- Experience supplying into retail or grocery channels.
Responsibilities
- Develop category strategies for the allocated portfolio and align with procurement plans.
- Deliver sustained cost savings and protect margin across global markets.
- Understand market-driven pricing, currency exposure, and contract types; support Head of Procurement on risk management.
- Lead and develop the Buyer; collaborate with Operations, NPD, Finance and Commercial teams.
- Establish supplier performance reviews and drive supplier relationships and value delivery.
Skills
Education
Job description
Founded in 2003 by Dong Hyun Kim, his mission was simple, to make fresh and flavorsome sushi and bento available to everyone. Almost 20 years later Wasabi have 40 successful branches across London, other UK major cities and New York.
The journey continued in 2019 with the launch of Wasabi Home Bento exclusively into Sainsburys. After several years of great success there, the grocery business expanded launching into Tesco in September 2022. Wasabi has now firmly established itself as the No2 chilled ready meal brand and a driver of significant market growth. And we’re just getting started. The leadership team have set out their 5 year strategy which encompasses company growth, franchise and international expansion.
Our menu is renowned for its distinctiveness, freshness and flavour. The cold food range of sushi, pokes and salads are made fresh daily in our branch kitchens and our hot bento, noodle bowls and soups offer an indulgent and comforting alternative to our broad and democratic demographic.
As we prepare for our next phase of growth and innovation, we have an incredibly exciting opportunity for a Procurement Manager to join our Procurement Team based in Park Royal.
The Procurement Manager leads the sourcing and commercial management of a portfolio of direct spend categories, reporting to the Head of Procurement. This is a strategic, hands-on role: you will secure supply, drive cost efficiency and protect margin in a complex global market, supporting our grocery retail and restaurant business.
Your portfolio will initially centre on our highest-spend protein categories, salmon and chicken, alongside other fresh raw materials, commodities such as rice and oil, and seasonings. Category allocation across the team may change as the business develops, and you will be expected to adapt and take on new categories as required.
You will work alongside the wider Procurement team, who collectively own the COGS; supplier commercial relationships; price negotiation; performance to contract; risk management; corporate governance and enablement of our Environmental goals through our supply base. You will be supported by a Buyer, whom you will lead and develop.
- Develop and execute category strategies for the allocated portfolio, aligned with the organisation's growth plans and the procurement strategy set by the Head of Procurement.
- Deliver sustained cost savings and protect margin across the portfolio in a complex global market.
- Understand and manage market-driven pricing in protein and commodity categories, including index-linked, spot and forward contracts, currency exposure and seasonal supply, and support the
- Head of Procurement on commodity price risk management, including hedging where appropriate.
- Develop and execute strategies for sustainable and responsible sourcing, including animal welfare, traceability, and environmental and social impact, and ensure procurement activities comply with legal and ethical standards.
- Partner with Operations, NPD and Commercial teams to shape sourcing models, including third- party and co-manufacturing options, as the range develops.
- Take on additional or alternative categories as the team's portfolio evolves.
- Lead relationships and negotiations with key suppliers at a senior and strategic level, to secure optimum whole-life value, consistent product quality and effective delivery performance.
- Evaluate and select suppliers based on quality, cost, reliability and sustainability; negotiate contracts and build long-term relationships with key suppliers, including producers, processors and brokers.
- Ensure suppliers are registered with Sedex and have agreed and signed the Wasabi established Supply Agreement.
- Monitor supplier performance via regular, strategic business reviews and address any issues or disputes.
- Deliver cost-saving initiatives such as vendor consolidation, volume leverage and value engineering, while maintaining quality standards.
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risk, including supply disruption, single-source dependency, tariff and currency exposure, quality issues and regulatory compliance, and develop contingency plans for priority categories to protect continuity of supply.
- Lead, coach and develop the Buyer, ensuring effective day-to-day category and order management.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation not only within procurement but also across different functions.
- Collaborate with other departments such as NPD, Technical/Quality, finance, operations, and marketing to align procurement activities with organisational needs.
- Support innovation and product development through effective supplier collaboration. Reporting, Performance Metrics and
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure and report on category and supplier performance.
- Work with finance to track and validate savings delivered, and provide market analysis and reporting on commodity, currency and supply market trends and their impact on COGS.
- Present category strategy, market outlook and performance to the Head of Procurement and senior stakeholders as required.
- Where applicable, implement and use procurement technologies such as e-procurement systems, vendor management software, and data analytics to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
- Significant experience procuring proteins, including chicken and salmon, within food manufacturing, QSR, FMCG or food retail.
- Strong degree-level qualification and/or relevant professional qualification in supply chain or purchasing.
- Proven negotiation of high-value categories on a global supplier base, including working with brokers and service providers.
- Track record of delivering cost savings in an inflationary environment, and of leading cost and supply projects.
- Understanding of market-driven pricing, with the analytical skills and financial acumen to build the commercial case for decisions.
- Experience of coaching or managing a buyer or junior team member.
- Working knowledge of ERP applications.
- Experience of other food categories such as fresh raw materials, rice, oil and seasonings.
- Exposure to commodity price risk management, including hedging.
- Exposure to third-party or co-manufacturing.
- Experience supplying into retail or grocery channels.
- A great working environment
- Pension scheme
- Target Bonus
- Refer A Friend Scheme
- Free Sushi or hot food (vegan options available)
- 50% discount in our Branches
- Employee Assistant Programme
- Long Service Awards
- Stream - a financial wellbeing benefit that lets you access your pay as you earn it in real time and manage savings
- Life Assurance
- Cycle To Work
- Free on-site parking
- A variety of discounts (shopping, food & drink, entertainment and health & fitness) through Perkbox
- Online GP service via Perkbox and
- The opportunity to develop your skills within a growing company.
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