Commercial Category Manager / Procurement Manager (Wholesale)

Profile Personnel; East London; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading procurement agency is seeking an experienced Category Manager in East London, Eastern Cape. Candidates should have at least 8–10 years’ experience in FMCG buying and a strong background in managing food and liquor categories. The role involves developing category strategies, negotiating terms with suppliers, and optimizing stock management. Strong leadership and negotiation skills are essential for success in this position. The job offers a great opportunity for professionals looking to advance their careers.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8–10 years’ experience in FMCG wholesale or retail buying.
• Experience managing Food and/or Liquor categories.
• Strong background in high-volume trading environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies aligned with trading objectives.
• Negotiate pricing, rebates, and trading terms.
• Manage stock levels to optimise availability and minimise out-of-stocks.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Category management

Leadership

Analytical skills

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification in Commerce or Supply Chain

Job description

Minimum Requirements

Education & Experience

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Commerce, Procurement, Supply Chain, or related field (advantageous).
• Minimum 8–10 years’ experience in FMCG wholesale or retail buying.
• Proven experience managing Food and/or Liquor categories.
• Strong background in high-volume, low-margin trading environments.
• Experience managing multi-branch or regional category portfolios.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating trading terms, rebates, and promotional funding.
• Leadership experience managing or mentoring junior buyers (advantageous).

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Performance

• Develop and execute category strategies aligned with wholesale trading objectives.
• Drive sales growth, margin achievement, and stock turn performance.
• Manage category budgets including sales, GP, and promotional participation.
• Monitor and analyse category performance, implementing corrective actions where necessary.

Supplier & Commercial Negotiation

• Negotiate pricing, rebates, settlement discounts, and trading terms.
• Secure supplier funding for promotions, advertising, and in-store campaigns.
• Build and maintain strong supplier partnerships.
• Monitor supplier performance and service levels.

Promotions & Pricing

• Develop and implement promotional calendars across branches.
• Oversee product listings, price positioning, and margin control.
• Ensure promotional execution delivers planned ROI.
• Align promotional activity with seasonal and bulk-buy trends.

Stock & Working Capital Management

• Manage stock levels to optimise availability and minimise out-of-stocks.
• Ensure healthy stock turns and controlled inventory holding.
• Collaborate with supply chain to maintain efficient replenishment cycles.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Provide leadership and guidance to buying team members.
• Work closely with operations, finance, and branch management.
• Present category performance reports to senior management.
• Act as support to senior commercial leadership when required.