Your role in a nutshell
The Category Buyer reports to the Category Lead and plays a pivotal role in developing and executing sourcing strategies that meet our business needs. This position collaborates across the organisation to enhance our competitive edge by securing access to innovation, best-cost solutions, favourable commercial terms, and strategic supplier relationships. The role also partners with cross-functional teams to ensure sourcing strategies are aligned with business objectives, driving continuous improvement in sourcing performance and processes — ultimately contributing to sustainable, profitable growth.
More about the role
You will be responsible for the Sourcing activities to manage our core product portfolio as well as new product developments including:
• Category management • Help define & implement supplier strategy for finished goods categories such as Skincare or Bath & Body • Commercially control spend within your specific remit, working creatively and in a SMART way to reduce both overall costs whilst increasing efficiency • Identifying and delivering cost saving and value creation opportunities through negotiations, resourcing, tendering activity. • Manage cost forecasts, share & control assumptions for budget construction, maintain data up to date for financial trends & Budget, report on KPI. • Working up feasibility costs for new products to ensure commercial viability • Present and update cross functional teams in meetings on the status of projects • Keep up to date on market trends and cost impacts which could affect costs for products within remit • Supplier relationships management • Identify and evaluate suppliers; select, approve and review supplier performance, lead supplier development efforts on all aspects of the value chain: costs, agility, ethics, innovation, sustainability & quality. • Manage sourcing negotiations and contract management negotiations: from RFQ/RFP to delivery of the product • Working closely with suppliers to bring creative and innovative solutions back to our teams • Corporate representative for an expanding number of incumbent and new suppliers. • Fostering a collaborative working environment across internal and external cross teams • Ensures procurement and ethical protocols are documented and followed.
What we look for
Previous experience in a sourcing/manufacturing/technical buying environment with proven project implementation skills within a cross functional organisation Experience of supplier performance evaluation, supplier selection & supplier relationship management. Experience of sourcing processes, data management & contract management Excellent interpersonal skills including strong cultural awareness with the ability to develop and maintain strong effective relationships Strong Microsoft Excel skills (formulas, tables, etc) essential Knowledge of Health & Beauty industry highly desirable Competancies: • Strategic sourcing and analytical • Commercial acumen • Stakeholder and supplier Management • Resilience • Curious and solutions orientated Skills: • Negotiation • Spend Analysis • Cost modelling • Clear Communication • Contract Management • Operational & Process skills • Cross functional Collaboration • Risk Management • Managing E2E RFQ /RFP process • Attention to detail • Data analysis • Excel & Reporting Tools • Microsoft office • AI Curious
Talent Drivers
LeadershipPurposeCollaborative SkillsPersonal ConductCommerciality