Buyer – Packaging & Raw Materials

A fabulous opportunity for an experienced Sourcing or Procurement professional operating at Buyer level to join the Global Sourcing team and be part of our exciting global expansion.

The position we are recruiting for will require someone with a broad skillset – centred on commercial acumen ideally with a modern sourcing / purchasing mind-set. This knowledge will be ideally underpinned by practical understanding of a manufacturing supply base. 

About the opportunity

Reporting to the Buying Manager, you will:

• Manage supplier relationships, performance and risk
• Develop sourcing and commodity strategies
• Deliver cost effective and innovative raw materials and/or packaging for use in our consumer brands and own-brand products in conjunction with our development colleagues.
• Identify and deliver cost reduction & risk reduction initiatives
• Assist in the negotiation of contracts and agreements
• Track and predict commodity price movements
• Assist in the development of global supply chains to support our international growth plans.
• Gather and analyse data to provide sourcing recommendations to support global manufacturing strategies

About you

• Knowledge of the strategic sourcing/procurement lifecycle and procurement best practices
• High level of commercial acumen
• Strong negotiation skills
• A strong Cross functional player with excellent stakeholder management skills
• Previous experience in sourcing/purchasing or manufacturing: 
• Ideally ‘degree’ level education 
• CIPS Educated or working towards CIPS
• Further degree: MBA, Business Qualification, MSc, PhD etc.  is seen as an advantage

Benefits 

We have a great range of benefits* that go beyond salary and offer flexibility to suit you: 

• Competitive holiday allowance (with the option to buy more days) 
• Retirement Savings Plan pension scheme 
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme 
• Enhanced Maternity / Paternity / Adoption leave pay 
• £100 gift card for colleagues expecting/adopting a baby 
• Flexible benefits scheme (via salary sacrifice) including financial wellbeing support, gym membership, holiday buying, dental cover, life assurance, restaurant discount cards, activity passes and much more (exclusions may apply, eligible roles only) 
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme offering free, independent and confidential counselling and support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
• Generous staff discount (with enhanced discounts for Boots brands, Boots Opticians and Boots Hearingcare) 
•  Access to corporate third-party discounts, including retail, cinema, holidays and more (UK only) 
• Access to a range of learning and development resources and programmes 
• Excellent onsite facilities including: staff shop, opticians, gym, coffee shops, cafeteria, outdoor seating spaces, dry cleaning service and excellent travel links including on campus bus stops  

*All rewards and benefits are subject to change and eligibility.

Why WBA Global Sourcing

Our sourcing team brings a broad and diverse range of products to life for our retailers, brands and most importantly, our customers.

Our global sourcing operation is the power behind WBA’s retailers and brands.

Our team of more than 400 people are located throughout Asia, the UK, Mexico and the U.S., putting us at the heart of the markets we serve and close to our suppliers. The combination of the team’s expertise and the breadth and diversity of our supplier base enables WBA Global Sourcing to bring to life an extraordinarily broad range of products from beauty and healthcare, to groceries and toys, with a specialty in the development of owned brand and consumer brand products.

With a razor-sharp focus on product quality, the Global Sourcing team supports delivery against our ambitious WBA sustainability targets through initiatives such as packaging reduction and the eradication of single-use plastic. We also reduce the volume of goods shipped around the world by manufacturing products locally in the regions where they will be sold. Critically, we ensure we only work with suppliers that consistently demonstrate compliance with our ethical sourcing requirements.

We're proud to offer our Support Office team members a hybrid working approach because how we work is central to our ability to compete, innovate and win together. Our hybrid, flexible approach to work is based upon empowerment, accountability, care and trust and includes a balanced mix of remote and office-based working.

What’s next 

If your application is successful, our in-house recruitment team will be in touch to arrange an interview and to answer any initial questions you have. If you have not been successful on this occasion you will be notified by email.  

If you have any questions about this vacancy, please contact chelsea.jenno@boots.co.uk