Procurement Manager - Zafron & UK&I Categories

Solina; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Solina in Mitcham, United Kingdom, seeks an experienced procurement leader to shape UK&I categories and supplier strategies in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will drive sourcing, supplier relations and cost initiatives across the region.

You will partner with site leadership, manage risk, and drive value across cost, service, quality, resilience and sustainability. Occasional travel to suppliers and sites will be required.

Qualifications

• Experience leading procurement in food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Proven ability to manage supplier performance and risks.
• Strong cost understanding and market interpretation.
• Comfort working with cross-functional leadership teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead UK&I procurement categories and supplier strategies.
• Negotiate contracts and manage supplier performance.
• Collaborate with site leadership to align procurement with priorities.
• Mitigate risks and drive cost reduction while maintaining quality.

Skills

Procurement experience

Strategic sourcing

Supplier negotiation

Contract management

Cost analysis

Risk management

Cross-functional influence

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Education

CIPS qualification (or equivalent)

Job description

Primary Location :

MITCHAM, United Kingdom

At Solina, our community of close to 5,000 people share a passion for food and live our entrepreneurial culture.

We design customised savoury solutions for our clients operating in the food industry, food service, butchery and nutrition markets. With sustainability at the heart of our business model, we aim to produce food that is good in every sense of the word: delicious, nourishing, affordable, sustainable and convenient.

Solina is a fast-growing business, with around 50 production sites and R&D laboratories present in more than 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America.

By constantly rethinking culinary solutions, we make food matter for people and the planet.

If you’re ready for a new adventure in a dynamic, expanding, passionate, international company, join us!

Your Key Relationships

External:

Strategic and operational suppliers; manufacturers and distributors; relevant market and industry contacts.

Internal:

Zafron Leadership Team; UK Head of Procurement; UK&I Procurement team; central Procurement team; Supply Chain and Materials Scheduling; Operations; Commercial; Finance; Technical; R&D/NPD; Quality; Engineering; and relevant colleagues across the wider Solina Group.

HOW You’ll Work - PACE

P - Push the Boundaries

You anticipate supply and commercial risks and act before they become problems. You challenge established approaches and continuously look for better sourcing, supplier and process solutions.

A - Act and Make It Happen

You take ownership, make clear recommendations and follow actions through to completion. You prioritise activity according to operational risk, value and business impact.

C - Create Through Curiosity

You use data, market intelligence and questions to understand what is driving cost, risk and supplier performance. You remain open to different approaches and opportunities across the region.

E - Excel Together

You build trusted relationships across Zafron, UK&I Procurement and the supplier base. You work collaboratively across functions and sites while being prepared to constructively challenge when required.

What Success Looks Like

• Zafron has strong, visible Procurement leadership and procurement activity is integrated into site priorities and decisions.
• Selected UK&I categories, including egg, have clear strategies, competitive commercial positions, appropriate supplier resilience and effective stakeholder alignment.
• Supplier and market risks are identified early, with clear mitigation plans and reduced reliance on single points of failure where feasible.
• Procurement provides timely, credible pricing and market insight that supports budgeting, customer decisions, tenders and commercial planning.
• Cross-functional innovation, NPD and launch activity receives effective procurement support, with suppliers and internal teams aligned at the right time and commercial actions delivered at pace.
• The division of responsibilities between Procurement and materials scheduling/supply chain operates effectively, with clear ownership and minimal avoidable escalation.
• Procurement value is measurable and balanced across cost, service, quality, resilience, innovation and sustainability.

What You’ll Bring

You’ll Have:

• Strong procurement experience within food manufacturing, food ingredients, FMCG or a similarly fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrable experience of strategic sourcing, category management, supplier negotiation and contract management.
• Commercial confidence and the ability to interpret commodity and supplier markets, build cost understanding and translate insight into clear recommendations.
• Experience managing supply risk and supplier performance, with sound judgement when balancing cost, service, quality and resilience.
• Strong cross-functional influencing skills and the credibility to operate as part of a site leadership team while representing the regional Procurement agenda.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to juggle multiple priorities, make sound decisions at pace and remain effective as operational, customer and project requirements change.
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder-management skills, with disciplined follow-through and attention to detail.
• The flexibility to be based at Zafron for a minimum of three days per week and travel to other UK sites and suppliers as required, with ad hoc international travel, predominantly within Europe.

It would be great if you also have:

• Experience buying eggs, egg products, proteins or other volatile agricultural commodities.
• Experience leading categories across multiple manufacturing sites or business units.
• Experience supporting ERP implementation, procurement transformation or process standardisation.
• Experience working with major UK foodservice, QSR or retail customer supply chains.
• A recognised procurement qualification such as CIPS, or equivalent relevant experience.

We are open to talents of all backgrounds. Our recruitment process is based on competences, and we openly welcome all candidates of all types according to our DEI Commitment