New Product Development Buyer

Overview

The purpose of the New Product Development Buyer is to scout for new food ingredients and new co-manufactured products from sustainable and ethical sources.  You will work closely with the Procurement Department and will ensure compliance with food safety, traceability, and authenticity requirements.

As part of the NPD team, you will source new ingredients and products to drive the innovation agenda, monitor the key factors and market trends affecting ingredient supply.

Your experience

We are looking for a confident and dedicated individual with 5 years within the food industry with experience in NPD, Purchasing or Supply Chain. You will be an effective communicator and have strong commercial awareness. This is a role where you will be required to travel in the UK and abroad, therefore a full UK driving licence is required.

Main Tasks

• Scouting for new sources of ingredients and co-manufactured products across the globe
• Developing the supply base network of suppliers and co-manufacturers
• Establishing and developing the knowledge and capabilities of new and existing suppliers / co-manufacturers to continually fuel the innovation pipeline
• Monitoring and reporting on regional trends of ingredients and technologies that could help shape the scouting strategy
• Understanding the purchasing cost model of new products, gathering all relevant info (MOQ, standard cost, availability, etc) in order make recommendations for purchase to the Procurement team (who will lead and manage all the purchasing activity for NPD)
• Presenting new sourcing opportunities and business cases during cross-functional innovation sessions in order to help deliver the innovation plan

Key Attributes

• Educated to degree level
• Experience in NPD buying, NPD management and strong Supply Chain Management
• Excellent written and verbal skills.
• A doer with high energy, enthusiasm and self-motivation
• Ability to persuade and influence people at all levels and develop good working relationships that promote team working.
• An analytical and strategic thinker with good business acumen and the ability to think from the customers' perspective.
• Strong organisation and planning skills
• Able to demonstrate a proven track record of commercial awareness.
• Passionate about food and flavours
• Well-travelled
• Good attention to detail whilst retaining the ability to see the bigger picture.
• IT literate (Microsoft Office).