Buying Director - Fresh Food

We have a rare opportunity for an inspirational senior level retail trader to lead a Buying team and to implement the Buying strategy for this key category within their Trading structure. Tasked with optimising sales, maximising profitability and increasing market share in what is a hugely challenging and fast moving category, you will ensure you and your team meet sales targets and budgets whilst maintaining value and product availability for their valued and loyal customers.

Key Responsibilities will include:
* Managing all financial aspects of the business unit including maximising the profitability on each and every sku within your category by setting and delivering the margin targets, setting and managing complex budgets and taking a lead in high level negotiations to ensure the business continues to deliver market leading, competitively priced and innovative products and promotions.
*Managing all operational aspects of the category including supply base rationalisation, product sourcing, supply chain efficiencies and product availability. This will be achieved through the development and delivery of a profit focused business plan that incorporates packaging, promotions, ranging, waste reduction and markdowns
* Working closely with QA, Product Development and Technical teams to ensure produce specifications, health and safety and product legislation is managed in accordance with regulations
* Ensuring that the customer is at the forefront of every decision to and ensuring that every product meets the customers needs in terms of quality, value and availability.
* Working in conjunction with the Own Label team and suppliers of tertiary brands to ensure that own label products are market-leading
* Working closely with Space Planning and Marketing departments to manage the ranging process via 'best in class' in-store execution
* Providing leadership to the category team through motivating and directing them to share in your vision deliver the category goals set by you.

To be considered for this vacancy you will need to have directed and managed a complex, multi-product category within a high volume and fact paced retail environment. Within this role you will have proved yourself as an inspirational people manager and developer of talent with the ability to drive performance. Furthermore, you will have managed complex data and have used your outstanding commercial acumen, problem solving skills and expert market knowledge to deliver a 'best in class' retail offer.

In return, the client will offer a market leading six figure basic salary that will be dependant on experience as well as an executive package that includes company car / allowance, lucrative bonus, company share package and a host of other benefits.

We regret that due to the complex nature of this role, the client has a very exacting brief and thus only successful candidates will be contacted within 10 days of application

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