Grocery Category Manager / Buyer

Nile.ag; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Diversity and inclusion culture

Job summary

Nile.ag seeks a Grocery Category Manager / Buyer to own procurement relationships with grocery suppliers and manufacturers. You will negotiate terms, forecast demand, manage inventory, and curate assortments for key items to support Nile’s growth across Africa.

You will work closely with software and logistics teams to optimize sourcing workflows, reduce friction, and monitor supplier performance through dashboards.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in grocery procurement.
• Tertiary qualification is preferred.
• Analytical mindset with pragmatic problem solving.
• Experience with implementation of new supply chain systems and/or processes.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with key grocery suppliers and manufacturers.
• Negotiate competitive pricing, terms, and contracts across key commodity lines.
• Lead demand forecasting, inventory planning, and order scheduling to optimize product availability.
• Curate the product assortment for key value items and maintain an accurate system catalogue.
• Partner with the software engineering team to continuously improve sourcing systems and automated workflows.
• Collaborate with internal logistics teams to maximize supply chain efficiency and reduce fulfillment friction.
• Establish KPIs and dashboards to evaluate category growth, supplier performance, and procurement efficiency.

Skills

Grocery procurement

Negotiation

Forecasting

Inventory planning

Data analysis

Sourcing

Education

Tertiary qualification

Tools

Sourcing systems

Job description

About Nile.ag

Nile's mission is to enhance the livelihoods of both farmers and consumers throughout Africa. By providing a digital ecosystem that streamlines trading and transactions, we help farmers improve their economic viability while ensuring food remains affordable for consumers. Our all-in-one application allows farmers to sell produce, access funds, and manage input procurement and financing.

We are a high-growth company backed by institutional investors, including Naspers and the Dutch Development Bank (FMO). Our founding team brings together experience from world-class organizations such as Amazon, J.P. Morgan, and Luno. Learn more about us at www.nile.ag/about

Our Team & Culture

We are committed to building a high-performing team that is passionate about fundamentally transforming Africa's food systems. Nile's work environment is fast-paced, modern, and fun, reflecting the nature of our high-growth business. We operate daily based on our core values, which form the foundation of all our decisions.

The role

At Nile, we see roles as an opportunity for personal development. As our business grows, so will the scope of your role. Today, our team requires a Grocery Category Manager / Buyer reporting directly to one of our Directors. The successful applicant will take ownership of the following functions:

• Cultivate and maintain strong, strategic relationships with key grocery suppliers and manufacturers
• Negotiate competitive pricing, terms, and contracts across key commodity lines
• Lead demand forecasting, inventory planning, and order scheduling to optimize product availability
• Curate the product assortment for key value items and maintain an accurate system catalogue
• Partner with the software engineering team to continuous improve sourcing systems and automated workflows
• Collaborate closely with internal logistics teams to maximize supply chain efficiency and reduce fulfillment friction
• Establish key performance metrics and dashboards to rigorously evaluate category growth, supplier performance, and procurement efficiency

Requirements

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in grocery procurement, ideally gained at retailers or wholesalers
• Tertiary qualification is preferred
• A quick learner, capable of adapting swiftly to the complexity of a hyper-growth start-up environment
• An analytical mindset with the ability to solve complex problems in a pragmatic way
• Experience with the implementation of new supply chain systems and/or processes

Benefits

At Nile.ag, we value the creativity and unique perspectives found in diverse and inclusive workplaces.