Procurement Buyer - Logistics

Why to join our team?

pladis is home to iconic brands Godiva, McVitie’s and Ulker. These brands make sweet treats and savoury treats that consumers everywhere recognise and enjoy! As we start on our new journey, we will continue making the biscuits and confectionery people know and expect from these brands, and we will expand their portfolios too. Together we will build new and exciting products at pladis – new flavours, new concepts, and new ways to share happiness!

Our strength is not only in our products, it is also in our people and our values. Each business that has united to form pladis are loved for their heritage and values. We will retain the honesty, integrity and trust instilled in our brands by our ground-breaking founders as we embark on the next chapter of our success.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact.

This is an extremely exciting opportunity for an experienced Procurement professional to join the team in a strategic role with the UK&I responsibilities.

Role Purpose:

As a Regional Procurement Buyer, you will lead and manage the procurement of Logistics for the UK&I region. Working with the Global Lead, you will maintain and develop the supplier base, drive strategic relationships, and execute material group strategies. Reporting to the Procurement Head for the UK&I, you will play a critical role in ensuring supply continuity, cost optimisation, and sustainable sourcing.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Building strong relationships with suppliers and owning your sourcing strategy to ensure a robust security of supply across all materials and services
• Understand pladis’ business category strategy and communicate it effectively across procurement.
• Share and implement the regional category strategies for Logistics, focusing on key strategic deliverables: cost out, cash flow, supply continuity, sustainability, and innovation.
• Build strong SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) in partnership with the global head across global and regional strategic suppliers.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with regional teams (e.g., manufacturing sites, supply chain, and R&D partners) to deliver regional projects for productivity and business continuity.
• Work closely with the global head of category to implement key strategic projects.
• Implementing all regional procurement-driven processes & tools within their team and category.
• Develop and implement category strategies for other regional categories, focusing on key strategic deliverables: cost out, cash flow, supply continuity, sustainability, and innovation.
• Provide input into the category and supplier segmentation, and managing suppliers operating locally and not under the radar of the global category.

Operational Responsibilities:

• Gather all necessary requirements (specifications & scope of works, service levels, KPIs) from stakeholders.
• Lead the end-to-end sourcing process for new contracts within the category Finalise contracts with suppliers and ensure compliance to pladis T&Cs
• Negotiating contract terms, liaising with legal and the supplier to provide maximum value to the business
• Completing D&B checks to assess suppliers financial status
• Presenting sourcing strategies and recommendations to relevant forums
• Reporting on 5 key deliverable areas, including Jaggaer updates for all projects in the category
• Manage any supplier performance issues, being the first point of contact for business stakeholders within the category

Qualifications and Experience:

• Graduate qualification or proven experience in indirect procurement.
• Negotiation and commercial analytical skills Supplier/Customer relationship management experience or excellent inter-personnel skills with the ability to form strong working relationships
• Project management and leadership skills, including how to make a strong recommendation
• The ability to think strategically and set a 3 year category plan.
• The ability to lead many workstreams and work in a team whilst managing key stakeholders
• Demonstrate experience of developing, leading, and delivering change implementation within an organisation
• Excellent communication and influencing skills within the team and across the business.
• Logistics category experience is desirable.
• MCIPS or equivalent certification is desirable.

Our winning traits and behaviours

• Purpose-Led - Energised by our promise to deliver happiness to the world with every bite.
• Agile - Ever evolving, never satisfied and never standing still.
• Collaborative - Willing to work with others for mutual success.
• Resilient - Quick to adapt to change, fast learner and persistent in the face of setbacks.
• Positive - Self-motivated, optimistic, adventurous, and inspiring

Diversity and inclusion are central to everything we do and is reflected across our business. pladis brings together brands and people from around the globe – and this diversity is our outstanding strength.

We’re an equal opportunities employer and believe in encouraging an inclusive environment where we celebrate diversity of thinking and respect everyone’s distinctive qualities and perspectives.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform key job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Join us on our exciting journey to create happiness with every bite!