Buyer (Food / Beverage & Retail) (JB4973)
Remote with the occasional site visit (Gauteng Residents only)
R35 000 to R40 000 a month CTC
Permanent

Kontak Recruitment Agency is assisting a client to recruit, hire and employ a Buyer for food, beverage and retail. A dynamic retail services company specializing in global travel retail solutions is seeking a skilled Buyer to join their team. Focused on innovation and operational excellence, the company provides high-quality food, beverage, and boutique offerings to diverse markets worldwide. The Buyer will be responsible for developing and implementing category strategies, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring product delivery aligns with business goals. This role requires expertise in procurement, market analysis, and process improvement to drive profitability and customer satisfaction.

Minimum Requirements:
Degree educated or equivalent experience
Food Safety certification (desirable)
Management training required
Minimum of 3 years in a Buyer role
Experience in Continuous Improvement required
Travel Retail experience (desirable but not essential)
Knowledge of ambient food/drink (desirable)
Airline experience (desirable but not essential)
Strong people management skills
Proficient in business communication, verbal and written
Knowledge of buying best practices
Ability to read and understand legal agreements
Strong financial, analytical, and methodical skills
Proficient in IT, including Microsoft platforms, WMS, or similar systems
Familiarity with warehouse KPIs and SLAs
Expertise in supplier management and process improvement
Analytical, methodical, and detail-oriented
Proactive, creative problem solver with strong factual reasoning
Strong interpersonal skills with a positive, can-do attitude
Time management, adaptability, and ability to work independently or in a team
Ethical, honest, and calm under pressure

Duties and Responsibilities:
Work with the Head of Buying & NPD to deliver the future vision for buying
Develop product buying strategies for assigned categories
Conduct trade analysis to ensure sales and profitability targets are met
Propose and align range frameworks to sales mix and customer demographics
Manage supplier relationships, negotiating terms to enhance profitability
Ensure compliance with Health and Safety requirements in collaboration with the Technical Manager
Lead and develop Junior Buyers, including training and performance reviews
Build policies, procedures, and systems to improve buying operations
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth range changes and project execution
Monitor market trends and plan for future product launches to maintain competitive offerings

Please do not apply using Scanned CVs, no supporting documentation is required at this point, this will be requested later.