Pets Choice Ltd
Senior Buying Manager
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Overview of Company
Pets Choice is an ever-evolving FMCG branded pet products manufacturer and supplier. As one of the fastest-growing producers in the pet-care industry, we’re committed to elevating our large, diverse portfolio of trusted brands, including Webbox, Bob Martin, Felight, Vets Kitchen, Hownd, and Meatiful.
Our products range from food, treats, toys, accessories, and healthcare, giving us a uniquely broad presence across the pet-care landscape. We manufacture and supply into a wide range of channels including Grocery, Discounter, Wholesale, eCommerce, Pet Specialist, and Export markets, ensuring our brands reach pet owners across the UK and beyond.
Overview of Role
As part of the Supply Chain and Procurement team, you will be responsible for a small team managing outsourced finished goods, ensuring the business has a reliable and cost-effective supply of products that meet agreed quality, regulatory, and service standards.
Working collaboratively with Planning, Technical, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Commercial teams, you will manage supplier performance, support product launches, optimize inventory levels, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement, cost savings, and supply chain efficiency.
Main Responsibilities
Strategic Supplier Management
- Develop and implement procurement strategies for finished goods categories that support company growth, profitability, and customer requirements.
- Establish and maintain strong supplier relationships, acting as the key commercial contact for strategic finished goods suppliers.
- Identify opportunities to consolidate spend, improve supplier performance, and strengthen supply chain resilience.
- Conduct regular market analysis to understand industry trends, commodity movements, manufacturing capabilities, and emerging supply risks.
- Monitor supplier financial health, capacity, compliance, and operational performance to mitigate supply chain risks.
- Lead supplier business reviews and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service, quality, and cost performance.
- Support supplier innovation programmes, identifying opportunities for product development, cost optimisation, and operational improvements.
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, rebates, service level agreements, and long-term supply contracts.
- Lead strategic sourcing activities, supplier selection, tender processes, and contract negotiations to achieve optimal commercial outcomes.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Marketing and NPD team to support product development, scope out potential of existing and new suppliers.
- Partner with Quality Assurance to resolve any supplier or material quality issues.
Inventory & Cost Management
- Monitor and manage supplier pricing, ensuring competitiveness and transparency across all finished goods categories.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve margins, reduce total cost of ownership, and enhance procurement efficiency.
- Develop and track key procurement KPIs including cost savings, supplier performance, service levels, inventory health, and working capital metrics.
- Deliver annual cost savings targets through strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, value engineering, and supplier development initiatives.
Compliance & Reporting
- Develop risk mitigation strategies to ensure continuity of supply across all finished goods categories.
- Implement supplier contingency plans and dual-source strategies where appropriate.
- Monitor geopolitical, economic, regulatory, and market developments that may impact the supply base.
- Support inventory optimisation initiatives, balancing customer service requirements with working capital objectives.
- Lead resolution of critical supply disruptions through effective stakeholder and supplier management.
- Champion procurement best practice, governance, and compliance across the organisation.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance procurement processes, systems, and supplier management activities.
- Promote a culture of commercial excellence, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
- Present regular procurement reports, leveraging data analytics to monitor KPIs and performance metrics.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Skills, Experience and Qualifications required
Essential
- Supplier relationship and stakeholder management
- Proven experience in procurement with technical understanding within a FMCG environment.
- Excellent negotiation, supplier management, and analytical skills.
- Experience working cross-functionally with planning, technical, and production teams.
- Proficiency in inventory management.
- Strong commercial acumen and budget management experience.
- Knowledge of MRP systems and procurement analytics tools.
- Strategic thinking and commercial awareness
- Leadership and team development
- Risk management and problem-solving
- Strong analytical and decision-making capability
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Advanced negotiation and influencing skills
Desirable
- Previous experience within the pet industry
Please note this role requires a minimum of 7 days per fortnight in the office, with the remaining 3 days working from home.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills