Junior Buyer: Simple Company

                         JUNIOR BUYER

Function:                         Operations | Purchasing & Buying | Planning

Responsibility:               Purchasing strategy, COGs reduction, Production Planning

Reports to:                      The Head of Operations

Location:                         Gatwick Head Office (Crawley)

Compensation:              £23k-£25k + Performance Bonus + 20 Days Paid Holiday

Our core values:

1. Be Fearless and Take Risks. - Venture fearlessly. Succeed boldly.
2. Community of Champions. - Rising together, the collective spirit of our champion community.
3. Success by Design. - We are change. Innovators at heart, curators by design.
4. Committed to the Cause. - Mission-driven excellence, our pledge to positive change in every endeavour.
5. Get (sh)it done & Rewrite the rules - Start Strong, finish strong, Dare to be different. Simple Company breaks moulds, inspires change and delivers results.

Background:

The Simple Company is a leading innovator in the wellness and sports nutrition manufacturing industry, dedicated to producing the highest quality products that fuel athletes and fitness enthusiasts worldwide. At the heart of our success is a commitment to cutting-edge science, sustainability, and a dynamic team environment where every member plays a crucial role in driving our mission forward. Our dedicated team of A-players are based just outside of Gatwick in West Sussex. Over the last few years, we’ve been building our own brands, D2C and B2B models in order to fulfil our vision of global domination. As of now products from our own brands and our growing client base are sold and distributed across the UK, USA, EU as well as Asia and South America.

Due to a recent surge in growth, we’ve been making changes to our long-term strategy in order to drive efficient expansion of our Operations. Reporting directly to the Head of Operations, the Purchasing Project Manager will be at the forefront, managing our end-to-end purchasing operations, ensuring the strategic acquisition of raw materials and managing supplier relationships to meet our ambitious production targets. This role requires a blend of technical knowledge, strategic thinking, leadership skills and commercial acumen to navigate the complexities of the wellness, fitness and sports nutrition manufacturing landscape.

We are looking for a commercially driven, data-driven, strategic thinker with strong communication skills and a proven track record of delivering projects on time, making demonstrable savings and managing staff  to achieve KPI;s. You’ll be using powerful analytical and reporting tools to ensure every decision you make is data-driven with forecastable results. Alongside this you will be required to live and breathe our core values.

Main Accountabilities:

• Follow the purchasing process and strategies that align with company objectives.

• Assist the Purchasing Project Manager with purchasing and ad-hoc tasks
• Create Purchase Orders and buy materials ensuring delivery in line with project deadlines
• Assist with the planning of production and ensuring that there is enough material to follow the production plan
• Assist with the creation of work orders
• Assist with basic inventory tasks to maintain inventory targets
• Keep on top of the ordering and restocking of supplies and consumables
• Undertake continuous learning and development from
• Look at opportunities to reduce COGs and costs

Success in 6 months:

• Be able to confidently raise POs and purchase materials on demand
• Consistently hitting KPIs and targets
• Following process
• All materials arriving on time
• There are no out of stocks on supplies and consumables
• Have a strong grasp of company stock and inventory, and production
• Be able to assist NPD and R&D when required

Success in 12 months:

• Contribute towards the reduction of COGS
• Have complete ownership of the buying process
• Have a strong relationship with all suppliers
• Have a detailed understanding of processes for production, inventory, purchasing and R&D/NPD
• There are no delays in production due to materials and lead times
• Be able to confidently cover the Purchasing Project Manager when required

Success in 24 months:

• You have successfully refined and optimised the buying process and have a clear strategy that will increase efficiency across the board
• Buying is so streamlined that it can be automated.
• Our products can be sold at the most competitive price possible and can be delivered at speed to meet the demands of the mass consumer market.
• Have implemented a handful of new processes or technologies that have forever changed the way we do things for the better
• With your contribution, the Simple Company has seen unprecedented growth and is achieving operational excellence.

Attitude: You,

• Will take complete ownership of your successes and failures. Full accountability is key.
• You have mastered the art of working accurately at speed.
• Are entrepreneurial with the ability to see the bigger picture and adapt to unexpected change when necessary.
• Have a proactive approach to everything you undertake;;
• Confident in building long-term relationships with our team and external partners;
• Not be scared to break the mould and think outside of the box
• Able to motivate people to hit deadlines and pick up the phone to get things done
• Be driven in all that you do
• Have strong commercial acumen and next-level organisation 

Experience & skills:

• Proven experience in a buying role or ability to demonstrate an aptitude for the role.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Be able to manage a high-pressure environment and understand priorities
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to evolving industry trends and technology.
• Be a strong communicator
• Highly organised
• Able to provide solutions to issues
• A willingness to learn

The benefits of working at the Simple Company:

• Building your skills and being part of a growing team. Our diverse range of brands ensures that no two days are the same - with opportunities to broaden your skill set at every turn. We’re committed to ensuring that all of our team are constantly developing and evolving toward their own personal goals and you would be no exception!
• Ongoing mentoring. You will get many hours of 1-on-1 mentorship from your line manager.
• Start-up sensibilities. You have the rare opportunity to work with a rapidly growing and have a huge impact on how we do things.
• We are a vertically integrated company, which makes us very agile and gives us a competitive advantage within the marketplace.
• A sociable and driven environment. We strive to build and grow in everything we do

Company Benefits:

• Casual dress code
• Company events
• On-site parking
• Staff discount
• Staff pension
• 20 days holiday plus bank holidays
• International travel opportunities
• Competitive Salary
• Bonuses

Schedule:

Office-based: Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:30

The Simple Company is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all of our employees have equal access to opportunities and everyone’s voices are heard. We respect and value all differences (seen and unseen) and strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds, which will be considered regardless of race, colour, religion or belief, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age.

Due to the evolving nature of the business, the job holder may be required to carry out duties that are not detailed within this job description.