BUYER: PORK

Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain

Location: Western Cape

Contract: Permanent

EE position: No

Introduction

Source and buy product in support of the Pork category and our WW Food Strategies, through effective supplier and profit management to achieve all KPI’s.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Pork Category strategy to ensure delivery of operational excellence
• Support the co-ordination of the Pork Matrix Team to deliver the Pork Category strategy
• The Pork Matrix Team is the main Team responsible for ensuring Christmas is a success for the Meat Department every year and as the Commercial lead it is up to the Pork Buyer to pull all levers to ensure this.
• Analyze and interpret market and sales data to develop tactical plans to drive the desired outcome
• Formulate category plans with suppliers
• Monitor and interpret industry and international trends (doing both local and international benchmarking)
• Lead, facilitate, and implement the Pork departmental and supplier strategies.
• Establish a commercially viable pork product range strategy and manage the implementation thereof.
• Manage open book costing models and promotional funding and Category Equalisation Funds.
• Develop good working relationships with all primary & secondary suppliers and all other key stakeholders.
• Lead optimizing & balancing the pork carcass through pulling all levers available to ensure efficient use of the entire lamb carcass.
• Build a powerful & exclusive pork range of products that we ensure Woolworths leads as a key destination for this category.
• Review and drive Woolworths' performance data (sales, volume growth, profit, market share, market size etc.) for the Pork Department and make comparisons against competition in terms of range, price, promotions, and product development
• Identify and prioritize the key commercial strategies and accompanying quantifiable goals and KPI's for the Pork Department in line with category operating plan
• Ensure internal and external colleagues understand and work to deliver the department category plan
• Review department performance versus Department Scorecards on a regular basis and inform key stakeholders
• Manage financial accountabilities; margins (including strategic buy-in opportunities in consultation with Planning & Assortment & Merchandising teams), incentives, settlement discounts, departmental charges, sample account, buyer losses, etc.
• Negotiate price, promotional price, and new lines, considering price tiering / product positioning and financial targets
• Integrate with Trade Planning & Sales Development teams to draw up and implement the Promotional Calendar.
• Plan and implement promotional strategies and ensure you manage a 100% supplier service level delivery every day.
• Establish category price position while applying an understanding of customer price perception, impacts on KVIs, and of competitor pricing
• Manage short- and long-term availability per category and per supplier
• Give input to Category and Supplier strategies and end-to-end sourcing of raw material
• Develop and implement pricing strategies
• Provide input to the planning and forecasting of products and ranges
• Build and manage relationships with a diverse range of suppliers
• Liaise with marketing, sales management, and space planning to maximize sales and promotions in stores
• Liaise with distribution regarding Supply Chain issues
• Monitor supplier order fill targeting 100% every day and product static
• Mentor and support the development of Buyers Assistants
• High energy individual who can drive the Pork Category with speed & urgency

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years buying experience in the perishable industry
• Proven experience in managing a Foods/FMCG department
• Procurement experience within a retail, FMCG environment or meat industry experience – knowledge of store operations, customer profiles, locations & competitors
• Proven sourcing and supplier management experience
• Proven ability to provide tactical input and deliver the category operating plan
• Strong integrator and the ability to work in a matrix structure with proven leadership skills
• Strong negotiation and financial management skills
• Proven ability to deliver the following category KPIs (i.e., market share, sales growth, margin, ROS, availability)
• Has an intimate understanding of who the customer is and the ability to view the world through their eyes
• Consistently makes logical deductions from given information and uses these to transform the Pork Department
• Can consistently convey information clearly and confidently when interacting with teams
• Understanding of Supply Chain processes and principles
• In-depth understanding and application of Woolworths' quality standards
• Technical understanding of the Meat category is advantageous
• Understanding of factors influencing a product's cost and selling prices
• Proactive & Innovative with a continuous improvement mindset
• Strong customer and retail orientation - sound business and financial acumen
• Entrepreneurial – ability to initiate and implement innovative and viable business ideas and to accept accountability for the outcome
• Team player with understanding of diversity
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal