Senior Buying Manager

Co-op; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Company car

28 days holiday

Pension with employer contributions

Onsite gym access

Staff discount

Job summary

Co-op is seeking a Senior Buying Manager in Manchester to own the commercial strategy for a key category and lead supplier partnerships. The role is hybrid, requiring two to three days in the office weekly, with a mix of home working and office presence.

You will shape the future of the commercial function, influence senior stakeholders, and drive meaningful outcomes for customers and communities while aligning with Co-op's values.

Qualifications

• Extensive buying/procurement experience across consumer retail or food/fmcg categories.
• Proven track record of developing winning commercial strategies and delivering growth.
• Strong negotiation skills with supplier partnership building.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the commercial strategy for your category.
• Build strategic supplier partnerships and negotiate market-leading terms.
• Lead category performance including budgets, forecasts and plans.

Skills

Buying experience

Procurement

Category management

Negotiation

Stakeholder influence

Team leadership

Job description

Senior Buying Manager

Up to £75,000 depending on experience plus company car and great benefits (Work Level 5). Manchester city centre, in this role you'll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and coming into the office at least two to three times a week. Permanent and 12-month fixed-term contracts available

We're looking for an experienced and commercially-minded Senior Buying Managers to join our team and help shape the future of one of Co-op's key categories. This is an opportunity to take ownership of a strategically important area of the business at a time of significant transformation. You'll have the freedom to influence category direction, strengthen supplier partnerships, and deliver meaningful results for our customers, members and communities.

Why this role matters

This isn't just about managing a category, it's about helping to shape what's next.

As part of our commercial transformation, we're investing in new ways of working, building capability across our teams and creating a stronger, more customer-focused commercial function. As a Senior Buying Manager, you'll play a leading role in that journey, bringing fresh thinking, commercial expertise and strategic direction to drive sustainable growth. You'll work with talented colleagues across the business, influence senior stakeholders, and have the opportunity to make decisions that genuinely impact millions of customers and members. All while doing business in a way that's fair, responsible and true to Co-op's values.

What you'll do

• Own and deliver the commercial strategy for your category, identifying opportunities for growth and creating ranges that excite and inspire customers
• Build and develop strategic supplier partnerships, negotiating market-leading terms while unlocking innovation and long-term value
• Lead category performance, taking ownership of budgets, forecasts, strategic plans and key commercial objectives
• Use customer, market and performance insights to identify emerging trends and make informed commercial decisions
• Work closely with teams across supply chain, technical, quality, marketing and merchandising to deliver an outstanding end-to-end customer offer
• Lead, coach and develop colleagues within your team, creating an environment where people can thrive and perform at their best
• Represent Co-op externally, building influential relationships across the supplier network and wider industry
• Help shape the future of our commercial function by contributing to transformation initiatives and continuous improvement activity

What you'll bring

We're committed to making our opportunities as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you'll need to bring:

• Significant experience within buying, procurement, category management, commercial leadership or senior account management
• A proven track record of developing winning commercial strategies and delivering measurable business growth
• Strong negotiation skills and experience building productive, long-term supplier partnerships
• The ability to navigate complexity, influence senior stakeholders and drive decisions across multiple teams
• A customer-focused and commercially astute mindset, using data and insight to make informed decisions
• Experience leading, motivating and developing high-performing teams
• The confidence to challenge thinking, embrace change and drive continuous improvement

What makes this opportunity different?

• The chance to lead within a high-profile category at a pivotal time for our commercial team
• An opportunity to make a tangible impact from day one, with genuine ownership and influence
• Exposure to senior leaders and strategic business decisions
• The ability to help shape the future of Co-op's commercial proposition while working for a business that puts people, communities and sustainability at the heart of what it does

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• A company car
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• Training and support for your development and career progression

A place you'll belong

We're building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We're proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we'll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.