Are you a motivated and organised Buyer & Operational Manager?
My client based in Upminster is seeking a professional Buyer to join their expanding team. This role involves purchasing fresh produce from wholesale markets, completing deliveries to clients, and assisting in the day-to-day logistics of the business. The ideal candidate will also play a key role in maintaining updated price lists and overseeing the operational management of the business to ensure the business has sufficient stock levels and ensure smooth operations of the business of order fulfilment. This position is perfect for someone who enjoys a mix of market work, client interactions, and operational planning. The role requires the candidate to work nights/early hours and travel between our Upminster based depot, across London and the surrounding areas.
Key Responsibilities
1. Wholesale Purchasing:
- Visit wholesale markets and suppliers to source and purchase fresh produce at competitive prices.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to ensure product quality and reliability.
- Source produce at the lowest possible price, while maintaining the highest of quality standards
- Monitor market trends and fluctuations in pricing to make informed buying decisions.
- Work alongside management team to ensure that purchasing is in line with budget planning and maintain up-to-date price lists that can be used in conjunction with the sale and client management teams to ensure the most competitive and up to date pricing is used
- Develop new supplier relationships to expand the product range of the business, ensuring that pricing and product lines are logged and kept up to date.
- Ensure purchased products meet the company's quality standards and client expectations.
2. Client Deliveries
- Complete a small number of client deliveries, ensuring timely and accurate service to clients. Act as a cover driver to support sickness or holiday cover if needed.
- Complete client's orders once stock is purchased from wholesale markets and fulfil orders for restaurant and office clients. Weighing items and placing stock in packaging for distribution whilst ensuring that quality of produce is of high standards.
- Load and unload deliveries safely and efficiently.
- Represent the company professionally during client interactions and handle any delivery issues promptly.
3. Operational and Warehouse Management
- Assist with receiving deliveries at the workplace yard, checking products for quality and quantity.
- Wholesale buyers communicate with management and the inventory team to ensure stock levels are sufficient to fulfil orders
- Help organise and store inventory properly, ensuring fresh stock rotation.
- Liaise with 3rd party operatives to remove waste cardboard, pallets etc when required and dispose of any surplus waste stock to 3rd party operatives the company with work.
4. Administrative Support
- Keep accurate records of purchases, deliveries, and stock levels.
- Provide input on purchasing and inventory management strategies to reduce costs and wastage.
Skills & Qualifications
- Ability to work well with a diverse range of people and show the skillset to work independently and as part of a team.
- Attention to detail
- Computer literacy that enables the individual to operate internal software packages, as well as industry-specific purchase order software.
- Experience in purchasing or procurement, preferably in a wholesale market environment with excellent negotiation skills
- Strong organisational and time-management skills.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.
- Ability to lift and move boxes of produce (manual handling required).
Preferred:
- Knowledge and experience of fresh produce, particularly fruit and vegetables, and current market trends.
- Valid and clean UK driver's license and experience with delivery driving (preferably with vans).
- Ability to use a forklift
- Previous experience in a similar role within the food or hospitality industry.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary based on experience.
- Opportunities for professional growth within a fast-growing business.
- A dynamic and supportive team environment.
- Free fruit and veg for all staff
- Company vehicle, fully insured and fuel card provided (to be used for business purposes only)
- Enrolment in workplace pension scheme
- 40 hour working week with flexibility
If you are passionate about fresh produce, enjoy a hands-on role, and are excited about growing and supporting a flourishing food service business, we would love to hear from you!
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £36,000.00-£41,000.00 per year
Additional pay:
- Yearly bonus
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Employee mentoring programme
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Night shift
- Weekend availability
Experience:
- Buyer / Procurement of fresh produce: 3 years (required)