Trading Manager- Fresh

Waitrose & Partners prides itself on being different. Our intention is to combine the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist food shop. Add this to our unswerving dedication to our customers and the highest respect for our suppliers (the provenance and traceability of our food is vital) and, of course, the environment and you can start to see we’re a bit more than ‘just’ a supermarket.

At Waitrose we are building the home of the Food Lover, and we have ambitious plans. There’s an exciting opportunity to join our fantastic Buying team as a Trading Manager within Fresh, reporting into the Head of Category Proposition Group (CPG) as part of the Commercial function. The Trading Manager is a senior level role responsible for the commercial performance of the product categories within their remit, driving sales and profit targets across all channels (stores and online) with a customer focus. This role involves leading and coaching a team of Buyers (approx. 5-7 Buyers), fostering strong relationships with both internal stakeholders (e.g., Own Brand, Merchandising Operations, Commercial Finance) and suppliers to successfully deliver category plans.

If you have a proven track record of delivering customer centric transformation and you are a food lover then please apply.

• Salary - £75,800 - £121,000  

• Contract type - Permanent contract.

• Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team are expected to be face to face  3 days a week across the office, branches and supplier visits.

• Location - Bracknell Head Office

• Interview Dates - Face to Face interviews from w/c 13th July

Key responsibilities

• The Trading Manager is responsible for the commercial performance of categories within their remit (Category Groups), delivering KPIs including sales and profit targets.

• Working cross-functionally, you will collaborate to optimise and deliver the annual trading plan across all channels (retail including convenience stores, online, B2B) putting the Customer at the heart of decision making. Key teams to partner with include Merchandising Operations (Supply Chain), Commercial Finance, Commercial Management, Category Management, Value and Trade Planning, Space and Range and Own Brand.

• Leading a team of Buyers, you inspire high standards of delivery through role modelling and coaching, helping the team to prioritise within a fast paced, changing environment.

• Collaborating with the Own Brand team you’ll be an advocate for product quality, taste and market leading innovation, guiding the team through the Innovation Stage Gate process and in planning key seasonal Events to achieve commercial success. 

• You will build relationships and collaborate with key contacts within the Supply Base across Own Brand and Branded Suppliers, requiring excellent negotiation and influencing skills to achieve positive outcomes for Waitrose and our customers.

• You apply a rigorous and diligent approach to overseeing key cross-functional processes to achieve deadlines including reporting on Trading performance, planning Secondary Space and Forecasting.

• You leverage multiple data points to inform decision making applying data and insight capability with a continuous improvement mindset.

• As a senior member of the Trading Leadership team you will feed into the 3-5 year vision for the CPG and deputize for the Head of CPG within key workstreams when necessary. 

• At all times you will have a close eye on the competitor and industry landscape.

• As a co-owner you’ll role model the Partnership Behaviours and strive to make the world a better place through your impact.

• This role has extensive exposure across the business which provides excellent opportunity for career growth and scope for future progression

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Commercial experience ideally at Trading Manager level, Buyer level or equivalent with a record of delivering strong results. 

• Leading Category Transformation/Resets with pace and collaboration 

• Experience in people management and coaching 

• Experience in creating and delivering strategic plans and budget forecasts

• Experience in significant commercial negotiations

• Cross-functional stakeholder management experience across multiple levels

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Knowledge of negotiating skills such as GAP approach

• Proficient systems use (e.g. in Waitrose these include Tableau, Anaplan, NielsenIQ)

• Knowledge of Compliance (GSCOP, Competitive Law etc)

• Experience working in other relevant functions (eg. Category Management, Supply Operations, Commercial Finance)

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We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview. 

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