Procurement Manager

itsu; London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Asian-inspired food brand based in London is seeking a Procurement Manager to deliver strategic leadership in purchasing and supply chain management. You will be responsible for developing category strategies, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring business growth both in the UK and internationally. An ideal candidate will have substantial commercial procurement experience and strong negotiation skills. This position offers the opportunity to be part of an innovative team focused on healthy food options.

Qualifications

• Broad experience of product types and processes is essential.
• Relevant commercial experience in procurement position preferably £100m+ in size.
• Ability to demonstrate strong negotiating performance and problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation and delivery of procurement strategies.
• Manage procurement and supply chain for core categories.
• Build relationships with supply partners and teams.

Skills

Strategic Procurement Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Negotiation Skills

Market Awareness

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Education

CIPS Qualification (advantageous)

Job description

Procurement Manager

this is itsu

we are the leading Asian-inspired quick-service retail and grocery brand with over 80 beautiful restaurants and a growing wholesale business across Europe and beyond.

our renowned delicious food made fresh in every restaurant, every day, has made itsu the choice for healthy eating.

in addition to our restaurants, itsu [grocery] offers a range of high-quality Asian-inspired foods available online and in supermarkets.

we are excited to be one of the leading brands in this specific group and have ambitious plans for continued growth both domestically and globally.

with its best-in-class-food, latest technology, innovation, and talented workforce, itsu is the future of fast food.

this is the job

• Reports to the Head of Procurement, Supply Chain and Technical (PST) and plays a critical role delivering strategic and commercial leadership to the group
• Provides key leadership to ensure that the PST function enables the business to grow through delivering category strategies that help us manage risk and drive value for our business as well as franchise and supply partners.
• This role is accountable for the procurement and supply chain of core food, beverage and non-food categories across itsu through the creation and implementation of category strategies.

skill and responsibility overview

• Strategic Procurement Leadership: Develop and implement category strategies for food, beverage, and non-food items to drive business growth and manage risk across UK and international markets.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with supply partners and internal teams, ensuring alignment on goals and operational needs.
• Negotiation and Problem-Solving: Demonstrate exceptional negotiation skills and analytical problem-solving abilities to optimise procurement processes and achieve cost efficiencies.
• Market Awareness: Stay updated on market trends and commodity information to inform procurement decisions and enhance product offerings.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively across departments to support the company’s growth strategy and drive continuous improvement in supply chain performance.

core responsibilities

• Active role in creating and delivering strategy that allows itsu to beat its business and sustainability targets with supply and distribution partners.
• Accountable for the Procurement and Supply Chain of selected categories (experience and development dependant) across the UK & International markets through creation and timely implementation of Category Strategies.
• Categories may include brand defining core such as Proteins and Rice as well as supporting the PST team with additional category and distribution management.
• You will report to the Head of Procurement & Supply Chain and as a key member of the team you will strive to deliver the business’s growth strategy and the goals in support of the development of best-in-class performance and facilities.

this is you

• Ability to demonstrate a broad experience of product types and processes is essential.
• External Procurement skills such as CIPS advantageous but not essential.
• Relevant commercial experience in procurement position preferably £100m+ in size (total business turnover).
• Able to draw on previous relevant experience of successfully managing and negotiating with supply partners in the UK and Internationally.
• Continually demonstrating strong negotiating performance and cross functional problem solving.
• Ability to understand and appreciate technical issues associated your categories to always ensure adherence and commercialise them.

you put people at the heart of everything you do by displaying the 4 itsu qualities:

• I take pride [in what I do]
• I genuinely care [for people]
• I want to grow [myself & others]
• I build trust [around me]

This job description is not an exhausted list of your duties, you will be expected to perform different tasks as and when needed by the business, and your role will change and evolve as the business does.