Senior Category Buyer

White Label Recruitment Ltd; Baildon; On-site; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A machinery manufacturing business in the UK is seeking a Senior Category Buyer to lead procurement activities. This role requires over 5 years of experience in FMCG buying and a strong track record in commercial delivery. Candidates should have excellent negotiation skills and experience working with retailers. Competitive salary and some global travel required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in FMCG buying, category management, or procurement.
• Proven track record of commercial delivery.
• Experience working with retailers or technology-led products.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement for one of the company's key categories.
• Deliver cost savings and improve margins.
• Manage supplier performance and mitigate risk.

Skills

FMCG buying

Category management

Cross-functional project management

Excel

Power BI

Stakeholder engagement

Commercial acumen

Negotiation

Education

CIPS qualification or relevant degree

Degree in supply chain, business, or economics

Job description

Overview

Senior Category Buyer
Location: Shipley
Salary: £50,000
Type: Permanent
Travel: Some global travel required

A forward-thinking machinery manufacturing business driving sustainability and innovation is looking to appoint a Senior Buyer to lead procurement activity for its latest programme.

This is a high-impact role blending traditional category buying with strategic sourcing, project delivery, and cross-functional collaboration.

Role Overview

• Lead procurement for one of the company's key categories
• Develop and deliver strategic sourcing and category plans
• Select, negotiate, and manage supplier contracts
• Support new product launches and retailer engagement
• Work closely with sales, product, marketing, and finance teams
• Ensure compliance with ethical sourcing, sustainability, and quality standards

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver cost savings, margin improvement, and commercial value
• Analyse market trends and buying behaviours
• Manage supplier performance and mitigate risk
• Drive process improvement using procurement best practices
• Support internal budget planning and forecasting
• Use data to track KPIs and support business cases
• Present procurement performance and plans to senior stakeholders

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years' experience in FMCG buying, category management, or procurement
• Proven track record of commercial delivery
• Experience working with retailers or technology-led products
• Skilled in cross-functional project management
• Highly analytical with strong Excel and/or Power BI skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Strong commercial acumen and confident negotiator
• CIPS qualified (or working towards) or degree in supply chain, business, or economics

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker
• Commercially focused
• Sustainability-minded
• Resilient under pressure
• Highly collaborative

To apply, please contact Jamie Cottam at White Label Recruitment or submit your CV through this advert