We have an exciting opportunity to join the Sainsbury’s Trading team as a Senior Buyer for Pet Food. Working alongside the existing Pet Buyers in one of the fastest growing categories in grocery, we are expanding the team to ensure we capture this opportunity and build on the excellent performance we’ve delivered so far.

This is a large and high profile buying area, with a diverse set of branded and own brand products and suppliers. As well as optimising the sourcing and selling strategy of the category, you will shape and deliver exciting projects. This includes defining the longer term strategy of Premium Pet & Future Pet Propositions. Reporting in to the Head of Buying, you will work with a wide cross functional team. This is an exciting time for the category and a great role in the heart of our Household, Baby & Pet Category and the wider Grocery Business Unit.

As a Buyer you’ll:

• Know and understand the relevant retail market and the category performance.
• Develop and execute a customer centric price and promotional plan in line with corporate strategy.
• Through brilliant supplier relationship management and understanding of the end to end supply chain, identify and negotiate cost savings.
• Make decisions for both the Buying Strategy (range and supplier strategy) and Selling Strategy (price and promotions)
• Scope, manage and lead relevant cross functional projects within the buying area through to landing.
• Work effectively with the range analysts to build a product range architecture that delivers a market-leading commercial advantage.
• Work effectively with Supply Chain and retail teams to deliver strong availability for customers.
• Work effectively with the Sainsbury’s brand team to deliver best in class innovation and commercially favourable product development.
• Influence key stakeholders across the business to gain engagement and commitment to buying area plans.
• Deliver to business targets on sales, profit, value and range
• Be supported in your development by on and off the job training, and encouraged to be an active leader across the division

Our Buying Team would love to see:

• Demonstrable buying experience
• Knowledge, understanding and management of contracts with suppliers
• Knowledge of buying systems and processes
• Strong commercial acumen
• Ability to analyse problems and make effective decisions
• Clear and effective communication to explain complex information clearly (written and verbal)
• Ability to adapt and flex your communication style to engage and inspire confidence
• Brilliant prioritisation and organisation
• Ability to spot issues, plan to mitigate risk
• Experience to lead relevant cross functional projects through to delivery
• High levels of resilience

Before applying we recommend engaging with the hiring manager to learn more about this opportunity: Daniel Mortimer

Qualifications

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform.

Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private heathcare. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme.

Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibiity criteria may apply).

Responsibilities

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Here, everything in our stores starts out in Food Commercial. Whether it’s the product, proposition, packaging or price, or the fact that something tastes great, our team is responsible for all food items available in store, digitally and on demand. You’ll discover it’s incredibly fast-paced. People here are in it together and not afraid to take risks. They’re enthusiastic too, and their amazing leadership team is right behind them. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves, anywhere else in the business. So, if you’re passionate about food and just as hungry to learn, you’ll fit in perfectly.