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.