Grocery Category Manager / Buyer

Nile; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Nile.ag in Pretoria is seeking a Grocery Category Manager / Buyer to own procurement for core grocery categories. You will build strategic supplier relationships, negotiate pricing and contracts, and drive forecasting, inventory planning, and order scheduling to optimize product availability.

You will curate assortments for value items, improve sourcing workflows with the software team, and collaborate with logistics to maximise supply chain efficiency in a hyper-growth startup environment.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• 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 continuously improve sourcing workflows and systems.
• Collaborate with internal logistics teams to maximise supply chain efficiency.
• Establish key performance metrics and dashboards to evaluate category growth and supplier performance.

Skills

Grocery procurement

Strategic supplier relations

Pricing negotiations

Forecasting & inventory planning

Data-driven decision making

Sourcing systems improvement

Education

Tertiary qualification

Tools

ERP systems

Procurement software

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.

• 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.

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