Fresh Produce Buyer
£30,000 - £35,000 per annum
Based at The Newt in Somerset
40 hours from Sunday - Thursday
Our Fresh Produce Buyer
Working as part of the Product Team, the Fresh Produce Buyer will
lead the product strategy for the Fresh Produce category, building a balanced
product assortment that is aligned with the overall business strategy.
In collaboration with the Head of Food and Productive
Growing Team they will develop the fruit & vegetable offering, prioritising
core Estate-grown produce.
The Newt has a new Hydroponic Glasshouse and a
Mushroom House on site, plus fields of veg and a dedicated produce processing
area. It will be Buyer’s responsibility to coordinate orders and deliveries
around the Estate so that our customers and chefs are supplied with the finest
seasonal produce.
We are looking for a dynamic and energetic
person with a keen interest in seasonal, local food and knowledge of fresh
produce. Attention to detail is paramount as we are uncompromising on quality.
Key Responsibilities
* Daily ordering, goods-in and Estate
stock management.
* Effective
forecasting and ordering to cover a seven day a week operation.
* Being available to
assist with quality checking, goods in procedures, splitting and repacking bulk
orders.
* Sourcing the
best suppliers to ensure a consistent supply of high quality, seasonal produce,
using local suppliers at all times and extending the season through our overseas
Sister Estates.
* Responsible for category budgets and option
counts; monitoring & maintaining price point hierarchy as well as intake
and retained margins.
* Providing suppliers with seasonal forecasts,
and using the buying power and your influence to negotiate better prices,
preferential terms and good lead times.
* Owning the quality process from supplier
expectations, to on-site inspections to delivery to The Newt, and continuing
spot checks through the product lifecycle to both ecommerce and farm shop.
* Creating a strategy to ensure that all customers get
the freshest possible produce and minimise waste, continuously monitoring slow
sellers.
* Managing the seasonal growing calendar with the Productive
Growing team, and creating the weekly produce newsletter.
* Devising and managing the fruit & veg box
subscriptions including seasonal boxes and recipe/meal kits - including
management of the back-end systems and inventory.
* Forecasting and ordering excellent produce for
our key Estate events.
* Working closely with our Sister Estates to
maximise the potential of their products, negotiating good rates, and ensuring
that their listing of Newt brand products is complete and up to date.
* Working in a flexible way to support changing trends
and seasonal opportunities.
* Aligning the product offer across all channels;
responsible for the product display and information in the online shop and
physical shops, providing full product details for the product copywriter, web
merchandiser and visual merchandiser, creating point of sale information where
necessary.
* Consideration of product packaging quality,
durability, price and aesthetics as a key part of the product.
* Working with the operations team to optimise space
and inventory management across multiple sites.
* Providing product guidance and training for shop
staff and customer services teams.
* Ordering packaging and keeping labelling up to date.
What we can offer
* A positive workplace environment with opportunities to develop both personally and professionally.
* Stay in shape with our complimentary use of our gym and wellbeing classes
* Look after your wellbeing with complimentary access to our Spa and swimming pools and our exclusive benefit of 50% of Spa Treatments.
* Enjoy shopping in both our shops on estate and online with 30% discount for all our colleagues and free delivery for any online purchases.
* Discover exclusive perks with our Discounted hotel stays for staff, accompanied by a fantastic 30% discount at our restaurants.
* The opportunity to ensure your views are heard and shape the future of the business via our Employee Engine Room.
* Complimentary garden membership for the Newt and our partner gardens including the Eden Project, Kew Gardens and The Lost Gardens of Heligan
* Complimentary meal whilst on shift, created using fresh produce from our estate by our dedicated staff food chefs
* We value your hard work and recognise your achievements through our colleague recognition programme “Newt Awards” with the opportunity to achieve a variety of amazing rewards including a complimentary Hotel Stay.
* Support from our Employee Assistance Programme for both yourself and your family
* A team that knows how to have fun with regular team engagement activities including monthly Gather and Grow Motivational Speakers and our regular fun squad events, which include activities such as Go-Karting and Wine Tasting, to name but a few.
* Up to 30 days annual leave each year for our full-time team
What we're looking for
* Experience within a retail, procurement or
merchandising team dealing with consumer products
* Experience working with fresh produce or fine foods.
* Strong communicator: ability to listen and convey
complex issues concisely and accurately
* Excellent interpersonal skills: ability to build
productive working relationships and influence others across the business
* Excellent analytical skills: ability to assess
problems thoroughly and drive logical conclusions
* Confident: comfortable interacting with key
stakeholders without diluting unpleasant news or well-reasoned analysis
* Assertive: readiness to challenge teams to take
remedial action when required
* Credible: ability to demonstrate understanding of
product processes in order to work with various stakeholders throughout the
estate
* Commercial: good understanding of the market, the
competition, product value, pricing strategy and margins
* Organised: highly organised and rigorous with the ability to manage
multiple projects at pace
* Appreciation and understanding of the critical
business functions contributing to the product process, including Production,
Creative, Finance and Operations
* Proficiency in IT to use a number of different
ordering platforms
Where you'll be working - The Product Team
The
Product Team is responsible for every aspect of product across the estate
covering retail in our shops and online, products for hospitality, events and
wholesale. The team includes buying and merchandising, new product development,
packaging and procurement.
The
Product Team will work alongside the various internal departments to help to
develop the product proposition of the key pillars of the estate: hotel,
gardens, visitor attractions as well as the butchery, creamery, productive
growing and bakery, adding products that complement these pillars and fit with
The Newt’s vision: prioritising seasonality, sourcing or producing the highest
quality products, and using local suppliers where possible.
Who are we - The Newt in Somerset
Nestled within an expanse of rolling fields and steeped in ancient history, our luxury country estate stands as a haven of refined elegance, inviting guests to explore acres of captivating gardens, meandering pathways, and enriching exhibitions - accessible 364 days a year for our members. Our hotel extends a warm welcome, offering a home-away-from-home experience where impeccable service flourishes in an ambiance of unassuming sophistication. Beyond the estate, the Newt's essence remains tangible, with our Ecommerce teams delivering our finest products to homes, while media and membership endeavours keep them informed of our latest developments. Behind the scenes, a tapestry of talented teams - from Housekeeping to HR, Finance to Farming - collaborates harmoniously, crafting an unforgettable journey of growth, development, and innovation, where every contribution creates unparalleled experiences.