Head of Procurement

Head of Procurement - Food sector

Location – Reigate – Monday to Friday in the office

Salary – up to £100,000 per annum DOE

The Company

An established food business is looking for a procurement professional to lead its Procurement and Supply Planning team.

Working closely with the Managing Director, you’ll help guide business decisions, build strong relationships with international suppliers and develop your team.

This role would suit an experienced procurement leader or a senior procurement manager ready to take the next step.

The Role

You’ll oversee purchasing and supply planning across the product range, balancing cost, quality, availability and responsible sourcing. Your work will help improve customer service, manage stock and support growth.

You’ll join an ambitious team that values fresh ideas and working together.

Your main responsibilities

• Develop and deliver procurement and supply-planning plans with the Managing Director.
• Lead, support and develop the Procurement team.
• Choose suppliers, negotiate prices and terms, and manage contracts.
• Build supplier relationships and improve cost, quality and service.
• Manage international supply risks, long delivery times and backup plans.
• Keep stock at the right levels to meet demand and manage cash tied up in inventory.
• Support the Commercial team with tenders, pricing information and growth opportunities.
• Work with Technical and Sustainability teams to ensure suppliers meet quality and responsible sourcing standards.
• Improve systems, reporting and processes to support better decisions.

About you

You’re proactive, curious and willing to challenge how things are done. You’re confident negotiating with suppliers, supporting people and using information to make sound business decisions.

We’re looking for

• Strong procurement or sourcing experience in food, ideally with international suppliers.
• Experience leading a team, or significant management experience and readiness for a wider leadership role.
• A record of successful negotiations and clear supplier improvements.
• A practical understanding of supply planning, stock management and keeping supply running during disruptions.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including confidence with spreadsheets, ERP systems and reporting.
• The ability to work well with Commercial, Technical, Demand Planning, Operations, Logistics and Finance teams.
• An understanding of food safety, quality, ethical sourcing and international shipping requirements.

You’ll enjoy this role if you like taking responsibility, developing people and managing the detail while keeping business goals in mind.