Strategic Sourcing Manager
Location: London/Chertsey/Hybrid Function: Strategic Sourcing
About Foodbuy Group
Foodbuy Group is the UK's leading food procurement organisation, managing over GBP2bn of spend across foodservice and hospitality. Part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, a FTSE 100 business, Foodbuy works with a diverse client base to deliver expert procurement, commercial insight and responsible growth across food and non-food categories.
About the role
Our Strategic Sourcing function plays a critical role in ensuring we deliver the right products and services, at the right price, while supporting wider strategic priorities including Net Zero, Social Value and supply chain integrity.
As a Strategic Sourcing Manager, you'll be a key contributor to the delivery of Foodbuy's strategic sourcing agenda. You'll lead and execute sourcing strategies across significant spend categories, taking projects to market in line with the Foodbuy Procurement Framework and delivering clearly demonstrable value for clients.
Working closely with Category Development, Category Business Management, Supply Chain and Account teams, you'll help deliver sourcing excellence across an average of GBP250m annual spend. You'll also play a key role in driving innovation in sourcing approaches, tools and outcomes, while developing and coaching a high‑performing team.
Key responsibilities
* Own and deliver sourcing outcomes across projects within your remit, aligned to the Foodbuy three-year strategy
* Lead and manage multiple tenders, either directly or through a team of buyers, depending on category complexity
* Ensure sourcing activity delivers against or exceeds agreed targets, following best practice and procurement frameworks
* Build strong relationships with clients, stakeholders and internal teams to identify future value‑creation opportunities
* Raise the profile of Strategic Sourcing by clearly articulating outcomes and value internally and to clients
* Lead, coach and develop buyers to maximise performance and capability
* Identify market trends and best‑in‑class procurement practices, applying insight to sourcing strategies
* Horizon scan upcoming projects, contract expirations and market movements to support a proactive, strategic approach
* Manage commodity and business risk, documenting and demonstrating mitigation strategies
* Research and monitor commodity markets and macro‑economic trends
* Support sustainable sourcing initiatives and contracting compliance
About you
* Strong experience in strategic sourcing and/or category management within retail, foodservice or FMCG
* Working knowledge of end‑to‑end supply chains
* Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders internally and externally
* Strong commercial acumen and confident decision‑maker, comfortable working under pressure
* Track record of delivering cost reduction in challenging market conditions
* Experience managing and developing buyers to improve performance
* Demonstrated strategic procurement capability beyond tactical tendering
* Strong negotiation, facilitation and conflict‑management skills
Desirable:
* Degree in a relevant discipline
* Commodity management experience
* MCIPS/CIPS qualified or working towards
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