Buyer - Food To Go
About this role
At WHSmith our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers. The ones that enable our growth. That’s why our Commercial team is passionate about creating an environment where people can be creative and trailblazing in order to do their best work.
You will work collaboratively with the Food to Go Buying Manager & Chilled Snacking Buyer, owning the pricing, promotional strategy and performance of food mains (eg sandwiches & salads) & ambient food products. These ranges include a variety of branded and own-brand products. You will need to collaborate with suppliers & product development to build brilliant new ranges to drive performance and improve our food proposition.
If you are ambitious, creative, resourceful and organised this is a great opportunity to take ownership of your own product area – you will be the key decision maker with the autonomy to deliver your own category strategy and a support structure to enable you to succeed.
WHSmith Travel is a fast-moving business focussed on people development where talented individuals progress quickly within UK Travel and within the wider group with opportunities in the UK and internationally.
What you will be doing:
- Owning and reporting on your category KPIs
- Managing your range & supplier base – sourcing the best products and suppliers to deliver against your key commercial KPIs and our brand quality expectations
- Defining and delivering the pricing and promotional strategy for your category
- Continually generating new opportunities to create value within the category through range, price, promotion, marketing and negotiated improvements
- Leading on negotiations for pricing, contracts, terms and joint business plans
- Managing your supplier base through Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly supplier review meetings
- Working within a cross functional project team to develop and deliver trials and new propositions within coffee and hot food
What we are looking for:
- Previous food buying/commercial experience
- Computer literate - experience using Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint)
- Great at relationships & influencing
- Excited about negotiation and product
- Thrives in a fast-paced environment
- Good with numbers and understanding customers
- Ability to demonstrate problem solving skills
- Proactive and resourceful
- Great team player
How we reward our teams:
- Hybrid Working Model from home and in the office
- 4pm Friday Finish
- Flexible Working
- 24 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday
- Family Friendly Leave
- Company Pension scheme
- Sharesave Scheme
- Annual Bonus based on company and personal performance
- Competitive Salary
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Staff Discount Card for railway stores (subject to policy)
About us:
Celebrating over 230 years, we’re proud to have grown and evolved into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries around the world, and we’re proud to be that air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey, both in life and through life. As a diverse group of over 5,000 colleagues, we are all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve.
Our business operates from two key locations. Our UK Travel and International office is based in a vibrant area of London, close to Aldgate and Liverpool Street Station, while the other is located at Swindon's International Business Park, just off the M4 with excellent transport links and over 100 on-site parking spaces.
Across both locations, we're an ambitious team that thrives on pace, collaboration, and innovation. We foster an entrepreneurial culture where people are encouraged to take initiative, embrace new challenges, and help shape the future of our business.
At WHSmith, we’re all about creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can be themselves and do their best. No matter your background, age, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation or anything else that makes you, you—you’re welcome here.
We’re also open to flexible working where possible, so if that’s something you need, let’s chat. And if you need any adjustments during the selection process, just let our Talent Acquisition team know—we’re happy to help!
Company at a glance
WHSmith is a leading, global travel retailer. Since 1792, we’ve grown and evolved into a globally recognised brand, and we’re proud to be that air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey, both in life and through life.
Today, we have more than 1200 stores in over 30 countries across the globe, serving millions of customers every year, and you’ll find us at airports, railway stations and hospitals.
Each of our stores and formats is tailored to meet the needs of our customers journeys; we’re the trusted home of travel essentials for the world’s travelling customer. We already operate in over 100 airports around the globe and we’re continuing to expand with a growing presence of WHSmith at international airports, and the expansion of our US businesses – Marshall Retail Group for speciality retail and InMotion, our world-leading digital and tech accessories business in travel locations - into new markets.
At the heart of our business are our people and our customers. As a diverse group of over 9,000 colleagues, we are all on the same journey to a better business. Whether our colleagues are based in our stores, our distribution centres or our support centres, we’re committed to providing the opportunity for each and every member of the WHSmith team to be themselves, build their skillset, and progress on their journey with us. That’s why, as we continue our journey, our aim is simple: to make every one of life’s journeys better.
Top Benefits
- Hybrid working model
- 4pm Friday finish
- Flexible working
- 24 days holiday
- Birthday off
- Bank holidays
- Company pension scheme
- Sharesave scheme
- Annual bonus
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff discount card
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