Buying Manager – Food, Central London £70,000 - £80,000 Package Location: Central London The Opportunity Our client, an innovative and fast-growing food retail business in London, is seeking an experienced Buying Manager to lead their Food department. This is a unique opportunity to shape the product offering across Ambient, Chilled, and Frozen categories, driving both commercial performance and customer satisfaction. This isn’t traditional retail – you’ll operate at the intersection of premium product curation and rapid, high-growth logistics, ensuring the business’s “virtual shelves” are always stocked with the right products, delivered to customers in minutes. Key Responsibilities * Curate a trending, innovative, and commercially relevant product range. * Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while identifying efficiencies across the supply base. * Deliver data-driven insights and market trend analysis to drive category growth and inform strategic decisions. * Lead supplier negotiations on cost, delivery, and payment terms to optimise profitability and minimise risk. * Collaborate with Marketing, Merchandising, Product, and Partnerships teams to create a cohesive and compelling customer offering. What We’re Looking For * 5 years’ experience in a category management or buying role within the food industry. * Strong execution mindset with excellent project management skills: able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. * Highly analytical: able to build business cases, interpret data, and turn insights into actionable decisions. * Advanced proficiency in Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Slides) or Microsoft Excel; experience with Looker is a plus. * High-energy self-starter with exceptional attention to detail: thrives in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and makes informed decisions quickly. * Tenacious and persuasive communicator: able to influence stakeholders at all levels, maintain a hands-on approach, and consistently deliver solutions. This role offers the chance to join a forward-thinking team where your buying expertise will directly shape the customer experience and growth trajectory of a dynamic London-based business