Category Manager

Foodbuy is a leading food procurement organisation based in the UK. With over £1bn of managed spend, we bring together the widest range of foodservice and hospitality clients on the planet to buy food, and everything associated with it. We work closely with our clients to deliver expert procurement services saving them both time and money and enabling them to focus on what really matters to their businesses.

We are looking to hire a Category Development Manager to take overall accountability for the management of the strategic Hot Beverage category This role reports into the Head of Retail and will manage a spend of £55million as well as contributing to the delivery of the overall business plan for all Retail areas of spend c £270m.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for day to day supplier & contract management ensuring the business relationship is maximised through conducting periodic / quarterly business reviews in line with supplier positioning matrix and responsible for owning overall relationship matrix and hierarchy
• Development of the category strategy & long range income growth plan (3 years) utilising continuous improvement tools and processes to effectively drive sustainable business volume growth opportunities (MAP2), optimise quality and gross margin delivery, APL / supply chain compliance & contract conversion to grow category rebate delivery and maximise the overall commercial value from Strategic sourcing through the category development process.
• Providing effective leadership & development to a category buyer
• Foodbuy Procurement Framework (FPF) – Ownership of steps 1, 3, 4 & 5 (business needs, category strategy, implementation and continuous improvement)
• Accountable for process stewardship to effectively capture and influence business requirements across the Hot Beverage spend for the UK&I to help win and retain clients and consumers within Compass & the External Business (individual accountability for category spend) and responsible for effective implementation of agreed ranges & supply chains post sourcing events from Strategic Sourcing team (SS)
• Accountable for into Distributor service levels from contracted manufacturers, ensuring the service level exceeds business expectations and delivers volume growth
• Delivering Customer and market focus – through close supplier relationships, competitor understanding and the exploitation of market driven data i.e. Minetec to create market leadership for the business

We'd love to talk to any buying/procurement professionals with Tea or coffee buying experience.

Skills and experience required:

• Strategic thinker who can demonstrate impact and influence across an organisation.
• An infectious “Can Do” attitude and strong interpersonal skills is a must.
• Experience of coaching, developing and leading procurement professionals.
• Knowledge in running large Categories.
• An expert with analytical tools, able to draw conclusions and communicate recommendations from complex data via a holistic approach and not just functional optimisation
• Strong decision maker, with good commercial acumen who is comfortable working under pressure

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families