Job Overview:
We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Purchasing Manager to join our team in a full-time, on-site role. Reporting directly to the directors, the Purchasing Manager will lead the purchasing team and oversee all purchasing processes, including contract negotiations. This role requires strong analytical skills to assess vendor performance and ensure cost-effectiveness.
The Purchasing Manager will play a crucial role in building and maintaining our product assortment, trading plans (including pricing and promotions), and fostering relationships with retail partners. You will manage category performance across various segments, including ambient, fresh, frozen food, and non-food categories. Your responsibilities will include executing commercial and strategic decisions, developing supplier relationships, and ensuring the right assortment is available at every store location, all while collaborating closely with supply chain specialists to maintain stock levels.
Key Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate proven knowledge of grocery products, including dairy, frozen, and chilled items.
- Drive category performance through effective forecasting, monitoring, and reporting, while contributing to projects and trading strategies to achieve business goals.
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive category and procurement plan to secure growth.
- Define and continuously update the assortment for selected categories at the store level to meet customer needs and shape the future of our stores.
- Participate in negotiations with suppliers to establish joint goals, special promotions, and improve cost structures, while sustainably growing profit margins.
- Own and execute key initiatives such as marketing campaigns, pricing strategies, and category projects.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with in-stock management, marketing, finance, and retail systems to enhance business operations and growth.
- Continuously improve and automate manual processes to scale operations effectively as the business grows.
Experience Required:
- A minimum of 3 years of experience in a grocery or FMCG role.
- Proven experience in managing purchasing processes, creating internal controls, and mitigating risks.
- Strong contract negotiation and vendor management skills.
- Excellent analytical abilities, with the capacity to analyse data and make informed decisions.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and BI tools.
- Familiarity with e-shop retail software, with at least 3 years of experience.
- Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain professional relationships with vendors and internal stakeholders.
- Experience in the retail business, with fluency in English, Maltese, and preferably Italian.
- Comprehensive knowledge of grocery products across all departments.
Join us and contribute to the success of our purchasing team as we strive to meet customer needs and enhance our operational efficiency!
Since its inception in 2013, Dave’s Food Stores has set its sights on a single objective: to offer an unparalleled shopping experience to the Maltese Islands.
Nestled squarely in the Mediterranean with a vast array of cultural diversity, an ever-increasing appetite for great products and friendly, efficient staff that offer you, not only 24-hour in-store solutions, but an online shop that brings groceries to your door, exactly when you expect it. Furthermore, our local and international partners allow us to bring you the finest quality products, everyday needs, and household consumer goods that you could expect from any large continent supermarket, with of course, that warm Maltese smile.
Our continued commitment to ‘care for you’ is a promise that extends beyond just words and is measured by the satisfaction of our clients, the engagement we share with suppliers and ultimately in the way you experience your shopping with us.
With class-leading infrastructure, technological advancement and a team driven by foresight, experience and clear objectives, our future path is undeniably bright.
Boasting close to 20 stores and expanding rapidly, we are uniquely proud of our achievements, awards, daily feedback, and infrastructure we have built to serve you and the driving factor behind our efforts will remain underpinned by traditional values such as quality products, great service, a guarantee of fresh goods and solutions that make your life a touch easier.
daves cares about you!