Buyer

We are regarded as the trusted decorating and DIY retail brand in London, selling paint, tools, plumbing, electrical & woodwork materials throughout our 30 stores. As part of the Grafton Group we have the stability and support of a leader in the field of Building Materials & DIY Retail.

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Working closely with the Senior Category Manager, you will be responsible for ongoing management of our purchasing strategy and activity aligned to certain categories, developing and delivering the strategy to ensure the function is operating in line with the objectives of the business to add value, mitigate supply chain risk and deliver cost savings.

What is the Category Manager accountable for?

Setting the annual category budgets with the Senior Category Manager & Commercial Director and managing this effectively to ensure that the budgeted sales and margin figures are achieved.
Ensure that purchasing strategies and processes are in place to meet business objectives and operational needs in terms of price, quality and delivery targets, which enables the company to function and compete effectively in the market to include: Terms and conditions, supplier selection/de-selection, evaluation and rationalisation of supply chain solutions including supplier managed inventory, supplier consignments and safety stock
Evaluate the challenges faced by the business and take action to mitigate risks and develop opportunities, contributing to overall business strategy and annual budget process
Responsible for managing relationships and negotiating with key suppliers at a senior and strategic level
Negotiate contract terms with key suppliers to ensure value for money, quality standards and delivery terms with technical and operational input from stakeholders if appropriate
Coach, mentor and develop a direct report, developing them as part of the wider commercial team succession plan
Ensure strong communication between teams under leadership to facilitate exchange of information and in order to implement change and improvements
Managing end of line ranges and aged stock through the business whilst achieving budgeted margin targets.
Develop a promotional calendar and strategy for the year to achieve sales, margin, and market share target
What skills and experiences are we looking for?

Track record of delivering excellent financial results against budget
Track record of creating business strategies and implementing them across the business
Excellent and proven supplier management skills with a track record of developing great relationships
Track record of price management within a large retail operation
Experience managing & tracking supplier rebates
Experience of fast paced change management
Product benchmarking experience within retail
Ability to understand Company financial information
Delivery of excellent purchasing standards
Experience creating business reports and creating an action plan from this
How will we reward you?

We have an excellent benefits package on offer:

Annual bonus opportunity of upto 17.5% of salary
30 days holiday a year, increasing with service
Up to 20% discount in Leyland SDM, plus discount across other Grafton Group brands
Pension with competitive contributions
Health Cashplan - claim money back on everyday healthcare needs and treatments (Dental, physio, prescriptions to name a few)
Share saving scheme into our parent company, the Grafton Group
Company sick pay
Life assurance
Cycle2work scheme coming soon
100's of retail discounts available through our flexible benefits portal