Job Description

About Cotswold Fayre

We are an award-winning, speciality fine food wholesale distributor, most notably being a Grocer Gold Award Winner as Speciality Wholesaler of the Year in 2023. We supply retailers in several channels across a diverse range of categories including ambient, chilled and frozen foods as well as pet, home and lifestyle and we were thrilled to celebrate our
25th anniversary in 2024.

As a B Corp, our purpose is to inspire, delight and make a difference to people's lives, the local community and the planet. We are proud to have recently been named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work in 2024 for medium-sized companies and highly commended for employing people with disabilities. We are also member of the Living Wage Foundation and have been a Carbon Neutral business since 2019.

We are based in Theale, West Berkshire. The successful candidate must live within a 20 mile radius of our Head Office and is expected to work from the office a minimum of two days per week (depending on business needs).

Job Overview

In this role, we are seeking a highly organised, proactive individual to support the buying department at Cotswold Fayre. Reporting to the Head of Buying, the successful candidate will become a vital link across the business to ensure the smooth operation of key administrative tasks and maintaining the integrity of data for our customers. If you enjoy a fast pace environment and looking for variety in tasks this is the role for you.

Key responsibilities (but not limited to):

Build and develop commercially successful food & drink ranges Grow sales and margin through strategic sourcing and supplier management Negotiate terms of contract and supply with new and existing partners Coordinate product information for catalogues and maintain accurate product, image, and pricing files Present new ranges and deliver product training to internal teams Manage and implement the promotional calendar Conduct range reviews and monitor competitor activity Support system management and provide key data to other departments

About You:

Proven experience in a buying or procurement role, ideally within FMCG or food & drink Strong commercial awareness and a keen eye for opportunity Confident negotiator with excellent communication skills Highly organised with strong analytical and numeracy skills Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities Advanced Excel skills and ability to learn new systems quickly A collaborative mindset and a passion for purpose-driven business A can-do attitude, attention to detail and passion for purpose-driven brands

Career History & Background:

A proven, demonstrable track record as experienced Buyer or in a similar commercially focused position. IT competency with experience of Microsoft Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Zoom and Outlook is essential as is a high standard of numeracy and literacy.
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Experience:

At least 3 years' buying experience preferably in in food & drink. Must have a full and preferably clean driving licence.

Desirable Personal Qualities and Attributes:

Highly motivated, organised, and capable of managing a diverse workload. Comfortable to work on your own, as part of a wider commercial team and be able to build strong cross functional relationships. Comfort with independent working but also a desire to share learnings & success with others in the team. Resilient, tenacious, and determined to succeed.
Interested? We offer an attractive package including:

Competitive salary

Generous benefits package

We are looking for a person who, like us, believes business should be a force for good and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and with all levels of ability. Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of what we stand for. We want our people to grow and develop their confidence and responsibilities treating our customers with kindness and care; all within an atmosphere of fun and rewarding hard work.

When applying for a role, let us know why you're excited about this opportunity. Share your passion, your goals, and what drives you. Your unique perspective and enthusiasm are what make you stand out. We can't wait to learn more about you and how you can contribute to our team.

To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to peopleandculture@cotswold-fayre.co.uk

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

Company pension Cycle to work scheme Discounted or free food Employee discount Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking Paid volunteer time Private medical insurance Sabbatical
Application question(s):

Tell us WHY you would like to work at Cotswold Fayre...
Experience:

Food industry: 3 years (required)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Reading RG7 5AW