Tesco
Buying Manager - Prepared Foods

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About the role
We have a number of roles available for established Buying Managers within our Prepared Foods team at Tesco.
Prepared Foods is a high performing growth category, operating across chilled convenience, food to go and our frozen food business. You will be responsible for the sourcing, buying and ranging of products for both private label and branded. You will lead on emerging customer needs such as health, convenience and global cuisines. The category offers opportunities to deliver key seasonal events across the summer, Christmas and Easter. Alongside launching great ranges, you will lead a market leading sourcing strategy to deliver cost benefits, security of supply whilst delivering on key sustainability and CSR requirements.
The category is perfect for buyers with a broad skillset with a passion for developing propositions across different parts of the store. The role suits a candidate with a mixture of private label and branded buying experience. A great working relationship with both developers and technical is essential.
You will be responsible for
- Executing a market leading food offer supporting the technical, product development and supply chain in collaboration with the customer team
- Developing, and managing branded & own brand suppliers, to deliver our customer propositions and our joint business targets whilst ensuring that product quality is achieved & maintained.
- Building a customer focused, long term category strategy that delivers sustainable growth for the business & drives market out-performance.
- Working with suppliers to build a strong Buy/Move/Grow plans that ensure our products are manufactured, moved & sold in the most efficient way possible
- Effectively managing deflation, managing potential CPI risks. Negotiating a sustainable, market leading commercial position
- Forecasting and managing budgets effectively. Delivering quantum profit targets whilst always being cost conscious.
- Adhering to all Tesco policies, storage and hand-over protocols and successfully completing all the training so that you have zero GSCOP breaches. Ensuring all agreements are recorded in writing, reporting GSCOP complaints to Legal within 48 hours of receipt, and leading a culture of compliance within the team.
- Following our Business Code of Conduct and always acting with integrity and due diligence.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
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You will need
- Commercial buying experience.
- Food experience strongly preferred.
- Influencing and negotiation.
- Stakeholder Management.
- Supplier Management.
- Buying management.
- Data Analysis.
- Microsoft Excel.
What's in it for you?
We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you – both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!
- Annual bonus scheme of up to 20% of base salary
- Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank Holidays)
- Private medical insurance
- 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (12 months service required at the qualifying date) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, plus 6 weeks fully paid paternity leave
- Free 24/7 virtual GP service, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and access to mental wellbeing support


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About Us
You might know us as a supermarket, technology company or even for our award-winning mobile network. Truth is, we’re all of those things, and much more. Our colleagues work with one goal in mind, helping to make every day a little better for our customers, colleagues and communities all over the world. No two customers are the same, neither are our colleagues.
At Tesco, we champion a balance that lets you thrive both in and out of work. Spend 60% of your week collaborating with colleagues at our office locations or local sites and the rest remotely. Whether you're just kicking off your career, juggling passions, or navigating big life events, we're here to support you. We always welcome a conversation about flexible working, so talk to us throughout your application about how we can support.
We're proud to be an accredited Disability Confident Leader, where everyone’s welcome. That’s why we commit to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need support with your application, click here for more information. And if you're interested in joining our team but don't tick every box, don't let that hold you back from applying.
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