Company Description
Potts Partnership are a fine food company renowned for our world-first premium cooking sauces, stocks and gravies in fully recyclable "beer" cans. With listings in all of the major UK retailers, 1000's of independent retailers and major export deals in the US and SA.
Inspired by European and international cuisines, we offer a diverse range of sauces and condiments, pastes, dressings, mayonnaises, and stocks, produced in our own manufacturing site in Swindon. We also develop food products for supermarket own-brands, recipe box companies and lots more.
So, here's the job...
Position Summary
The Buyer & Planner is responsible for planning production and leading strategic procurement activities within a food manufacturing environment, ensuring the timely and cost-effective supply of raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and services. This role is critical to maintaining uninterrupted production, managing food safety and shelf-life risks, optimising costs, and ensuring compliance with food industry regulations.
The Buyer & Planner also manages and mentors the Purchasing team while driving continuous improvement across the supply chain and supporting financial control processes.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing, Procurement & Production Planning
Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans for ingredients, raw materials, packaging, and indirect spend
· Align procurement activities with production plans and forecasted demand
· Planning production so as to meet sales and stock requirements, optimise production efficiencies and minimise allergen contamination risks.
Identify, evaluate, and approve suppliers based on quality, food safety standards, cost, reliability, and service levels
Lead contract negotiations, pricing agreements, and long-term supply contracts
Manage high-value and high-risk categories, including key ingredients and critical packaging materials
Monitor commodity markets and food ingredient trends to anticipate price movements and supply risks
Prepare and issue purchase orders through ERP/MRP systems, ensuring accuracy in pricing, quantities, and delivery schedules
Raise ad hoc purchase orders and related invoices when required
Financial Control & Invoice Management
Review and approve supplier invoices, ensuring alignment with purchase orders and agreed pricing
Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies in collaboration with suppliers and Finance
Conduct a weekly review of the payment list and provide recommendations and priorities for supplier payments based on production needs, supplier terms, and cash flow considerations
Ensure accurate financial documentation and maintain strong internal controls
Cost Control & BOM Management
Maintain and regularly update the Bill of Materials (BOM) used for product costings
Review current supplier pricing against the costing BOM and highlight any variances
Drive cost-saving initiatives while maintaining product quality and food safety standards
Negotiate price reductions, volume rebates, and alternative sourcing where appropriate
Support margin improvement initiatives through value engineering and supplier collaboration
Food Safety, Quality & Compliance
Ensure all suppliers comply with food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, BRC, ISO, or equivalent)
Work closely with the Technical team to manage supplier approvals and audits
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements related to food manufacturing and labelling
Maintain up-to-date documentation for traceability and audit readiness
Supply Continuity & Risk Management
Identify and escalate potential supply disruptions in daily operational meetings
Highlight ingredient shelf-life risks, stock shortages, and supply constraints that may impact production plans
Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies, including dual sourcing and safety stock planning
Collaborate with Production and Sales to ensure alignment between procurement and manufacturing schedules and Customer requirements.
Supplier Performance Management
Monitor supplier performance against KPIs (OTIF, quality, service level, responsiveness)
Conduct regular supplier reviews and performance evaluations
Address non-conformance issues and implement corrective action plans
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Finance, Production, Planning, Technical, and NPD teams
Support new product development by sourcing new ingredients and packaging materials
Provide procurement updates in daily production meetings
Leadership & Team Management
Manage and mentor the Purchasing team, currently one purchasing administrator
Provide training and guidance on food industry procurement best practices
Ensure adherence to company procurement policies and procedures
Required Qualifications
Minimum 5+ years' experience in procurement, preferably within food manufacturing or FMCG
Strong experience sourcing ingredients and packaging materials
Proven negotiation and contract management experience
Strong analytical and financial skills
Experience with ERP/MRP systems within a manufacturing environment
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data analysis, reporting)
Demonstrated leadership and team management experience
Within commuting distance of Swindon, UK.
Key Skills & Competencies
Strategic sourcing within food manufacturing
Ingredient and commodity market knowledge
Supplier relationship management
Cost optimization and margin improvement
Financial control and invoice management
Food safety and regulatory awareness
Risk assessment and supply continuity planning
ERP/MRP proficiency
Advanced Excel and data analysis capability
Data-driven decision-making
Strong negotiation and communication skills
Leadership and mentoring
What's in it for you
£38.5k annual salary
Private BUPA medical & dental insurance
Friendly family-run business
Personal development opportunities and adhoc training
Location - Swindon, UK