Fresh Direct have a fantastic opportunity for a Produce Buyer to join the team on a full-time permanent basis in our Corby depot, reporting to the Head of Procurement.

Our role is offering hybrid working (2-3 days in the office per week), so you must be within a commutable distance to our Corby depot and comfortable travelling once per week to our Bicester depot.

It is essential that candidates come from a Fresh, Produce or Grocery Buying background.

As a Produce Buyer at Fresh Direct, it is your responsibility to manage the supply base in line with agreed strategy for category and business in compliance with company policy and procedures. You will work with internal stakeholders and suppliers to ensure required costs, quality and service standards are met or exceeded at all times.

We are looking for someone who excels in delivering cost saving strategies through driving change and proactively looking to find solutions. You will conduct product and category panels to deliver continuous improvement in our product ranges, quality, and pricing of products. The role will involve controlling the cost of goods, (ensuring we source responsibly and support our CSR credentials), whilst managing terms and business planning effectively with our supplier base, including Sysco & European buying alliance partnerships.

Fresh Direct is one of the UK’s top wholesale food suppliers, supplying the best restaurant brands on the high street. We’re looking to add to our team in a number of key areas and we need people who are passionate about the job they do, committed to developing strong working relationships across the business, and driven by the need to deliver nothing but the very best results.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

• Negotiate contract terms (e.g., pricing, rebates, promotional support etc.) with suppliers to achieve optimum commercial benefit
• Conduct regular gap analysis, benchmarking, range reviews and market research to ensure opportunities are identified and evaluated
• Liaise and attend meetings with other departments and external stakeholders to ensure continuity of supply and successful execution of new product launches
• Conduct regular review meetings and build strong relationships with suppliers to monitor product/supplier performance and ensure commercial targets are hit
• Liaise with Sysco members for shared deals, market insight, product and supplier information
• Off-site visits including but not limited to, Exhibitions, Suppliers, Sysco meetings, Sales accompaniment days and Networking events
• Running of reports to recognise areas of underperformance within supply base with the ability to identify appropriate solutions
• Manage relations, engagement, and partnerships across the supplier base
• Customer interaction: working with key customers to present market and crop conditions, working to develop our range and that of our customers. This will create a USP with our customers and support to mitigate inflation and protect margin
• Cost tracker measuring cost of goods and better than market inflation/deflation, which enables Brakes & Fresh Direct to compete within the marketplace, driving NOBC and share of wallet
• Contribute to the annual buying income KPI through rebates, supplier terms, cost saving initiatives
• Deliver compliance of contract terms through engagement and commitment of stakeholders and senior management team. Both parties to have fully signed, accurate terms, filed ahead of contract start dates

About you:

The successful candidate must have previous experience in a Produce/ Grocery Buyer role looking to join a global organisation for the next step in their career. We are looking for an experienced buyer who is comfortable working cross-functionally in a team and enjoys building relationships internally and with external suppliers to maximize performance. A confident and organised Buyer who has the demonstrated experience of supplier/contract negotiation and delivery of significant cost savings combined with commercial problem-solving abilities is crucial to this role.  You will be someone who has strong planning and prioritisation skills whilst demonstrating your resilience under pressure and can manage conflicting priorities using your excellent time management skills.

What you’ll receive:

• A competitive salary
• Car allowance of £5,500 per annum
• Generous holiday allowance, with option to purchase 5 additional holiday days
• Pension scheme
• Hybrid working contract
• Huge discounts on all sorts of lovely food and award-winning products through our staff shop
• Discounts on Cinema tickets, shopping and earn cashback on purchases through Sodexo.
• Recognition awards and Incentives
• Career progression opportunities - being part of Fresh Direct and the wider Sysco group, the world’s leading foodservice business, opens up a world of possibility

At Fresh Direct everyone is welcome. We don’t want you to ‘fit our culture’ we want you to help define it and we actively celebrate the unique talents of each and every colleague. We don’t just look at your CV, we’re more focused on who you are and your potential. As part of our values, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone has a voice, is appreciated and has the same opportunities. We work hard to ensure that everyone feels part of our business, as we care for one another and connect the world through food and trusted partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone belongs and thrives at Fresh Direct and we recognise that Fresh Direct can only thrive when everyone feels they belong. We'll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, speak to our resourcing team who will be happy to support you.