Buying Executive

About Creed:

Creed is a family business, established in 1972, which is ambitious with it's growth within the industry. We deliver a great range of multi-temperature food products, including our butchery and fresh ranges to caterers across the country from our offices in Cheltenham, Ilkeston & High Wycombe. It's a great place to be and we are proud of our role in supporting our local community. We are dedicated to creating a great place to work, with great people and this year we have been listed as a top 50 company to work for by Best Companies, across all three of our depots, having achieved a two star status. We are also the number one food and drinks sector (Q2) company to work for. Our people are committed to our values, choose their attitude and focus on the needs of the customer. They work hard and are committed to providing a great service but want to have some fun and development along the way. Our employees often get involved in charity events, attend the company conversations, put forward their ideas for improvement and contribute in the team briefings. Our core business values are being: Commercial, Proud, Friendly and Nurturing.

Role details:
As a buying executive you will contribute to achieving effective and efficient operations within the buying team to deliver overall business financial revenue, margin and income targets.

Ensure all buying administration is completed, including product sourcing, customer range reviews and data analysis across the ambient, frozen, chilled & fresh categories.

Play a key part in driving revenue, enhancing customer experience, and maintaining competitive market positioning through supplier collaboration, promotional planning, and detailed product and market analysis.

Some responsibilities of the role include:

• Demonstrate a positive, customer-focused, and professional approach.
• Contribute to a diverse, inclusive, solutions-oriented, and customer service focussed culture.
• Share ideas and develop new ways of working to improve company performance and employee engagement.
• Demonstrate professionalism and deliver an awesome customer experience to both internal and external customers.
• To ensure that effective and efficient operations within the buying team deliver overall business financial revenue, margin and income targets.

Supplier, Product & Category Accountabilities:

• Effective administration of supplier terms agreements with buying groups & local suppliers.
• Collate and manage the scheduling, approval, and tracking of promotions.
• Source new products & de-list products in line with business requirements.
• All administration related to new suppliers and new products, including management of forms.
• Investigate and resolve invoice queries promptly, ensuring billing accuracy.
• Communicate effectively with suppliers, build and maintain relationships with them.
• Escalate aged debt with suppliers where required.
• Track, manage, and submit rebates and approve claims with suppliers where needed.
• Regular product benchmarking & category reviews to ensure we are moving in line with Food Market trends.
• Competitor analysis and market updates across product, price, promotion and availability.
• Liaise between suppliers and internal departments to capture information including supplier imagery, marketing information, promotional collateral and supplier pricing, data, accreditation and technical information.
• Populate and track Commercial Terms agreements (CTA) where required.
• Collate supplier meeting minutes of supplier meetings, track agreements and assist with driving both supplier and internal stakeholders accountability.
• Liaise closely with Marketing to ensure all marketing collateral is delivered on time in full.
• Collate category insight from suppliers and share with the marketing team
• Deliver marketing customer requests and projects to the agreed timescales.
• Demonstrate commitment to and support our Environmental, Social and Governance goals in how daily tasks and responsibilities are carried out.
• Actively promote a food safety culture through sharing knowledge and expertise.
• Share and promote best practice and adherence to Cyber essentials standards.
• Ensure data integrity, security, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• To disclose any evidence of product safety, legality, quality, or integrity issues.
• To report all accidents and promote best practices in Health and Safety and contribute to ensuring a safe working environment for all employees, workers, and visitors on site.

It is essential that you have the following:

• Strong I.T and administration skills, numeracy, and a good level of English.
• Experience using Power BI (or similar), Office 365, Microsoft Teams & SharePoint.
• Customer service focus, excellent communication, interpersonal, relationship building and stakeholder management skills.
• An action-oriented individual, who is solutions focused, can manage multiple priorities, and deliver results on time and in full.
• A good team player, with attention to detail and good problem-solving skills that follows processes in place and prioritises business improvement.
• Experience working in an administrative role delivering continuous improvement, data and insight.
• Highly self-motivated to achieve agreed goals, able to work efficiently and independently.
• An organised and methodical approach to work and prioritisation that ensures the achievement of deadlines.
• Experience working with both internal and external stakeholders of all levels.
• Administrative experience working as part of a team within an office environment.
• Experience co-ordinating, contributing to and adding value to company, industry and supplier events including exhibitions, insights and networking.
• Willingness to Travel and the flexibility to accommodate planned overnight stays for attendance at events, with reasonable notice provided.
• A good understanding of key metrics that impact the commercial revenues including Overriders, Marketing & Product Rebates.
• Experienced and confident at delivering presentations.
• Experience collating, tracking, managing, and reporting on team revenue targets accurately. An understanding of product allergens, nutritional information, and government food legislation (Sugar Tax, HFSS Etc).
• Ability to problem solve and perform root cause analysis.

What you get in return:

• Competitive salary.
• Training and development and career progression opportunities.
• Recognition for doing a great job and going the extra mile from customers, your department and the rest of the business.
• Respect and support from your team, supervisors and managers.
• 33 Days of annual leave per year.
• Life insurance for 2 times your annual salary.
• Employee discount on purchases and regular special offers for staff.
• Access to an online discount portal, providing discounts for gyms, the cinema, supermarkets, high street retailers, cashback for changing your electricity supplier and much more helping you to save money on purchases that you would ordinarily make.
• Employee assistance programme that offers confidential support and advice which includes free access to legal advice, wellness programmes and much more.
• Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme.

Creed also offer employees the opportunity to join our Savings Scheme, join the Staff Lottery to support our selected charities and be in with the chance of winning £250 each month, an additional day off each year which you can use to help a charitable cause of your choice and much more. We are also a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer
If you think you have what it takes, please click 'Apply Now' below to send your C.V for consideration.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age, as outlined in our equal opportunities policy.