Group Buyer - Workwear, Footwear and PPE

Kingfisher Plc; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading home improvement retailer is seeking a Group Buyer for Workwear, Footwear, and PPE. This role involves defining sourcing needs, collaborating with product teams, and ensuring supplier quality. Ideal candidates possess strong product knowledge, buying experience, and effective negotiation skills. This position offers a chance to contribute to operational excellence in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Private Health Care

Kingfisher Pension Scheme

25 Days' Holiday

Staff Discount

Bonus

Qualifications

• Experience in clothing/textile manufacturing processes.
• Exposure to Product Lifecycle Management and Product Development.
• Conscientious and organized, translating goals into personal and team plans.

Responsibilities

• Define the needs for the sub-category and the sourcing strategy.
• Work with product teams to understand the range and products.
• Manage tenders with buying offices and negotiate with suppliers.

Skills

Strong product expertise including building range structure

Buying experience in home improvement

Ability to influence at a senior level

Fluent spoken and written English

Job description

Overview

We’re Kingfisher, a team of over 76,000 people bringing Kingfisher brands to life, including B&Q, Screwfix, Brico Depot, Castorama and Koctas. We aim to be the leading home improvement company and to grow the largest community of home improvers in the world.

At Kingfisher our customers come from all walks of life, and we are committed to treating all colleagues, future colleagues, and applicants equally regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

As a Group Buyer for the Workwear, Footwear and PPE category you will work closely with the product team of your sub-category to define sourcing needs and build a supplier strategy with the objective of lowering costs and developing operational excellence.

Location: Southampton | London

In return, we offer an inclusive environment where what you can achieve is limited only by your imagination. We encourage new ideas, actively support experimentation, and strive to build an environment where everyone can be their best self. We value Diversity & Inclusion and encourage you to apply even if you do not meet 100% of the requirements.

Responsibilities

• Define the needs for the sub-category and the sourcing strategy
• Work with the product teams to understand the range and products composing it
• Analyse product components and manufacturing processes taking into account costing of products
• Identify suppliers and factories while working with sourcing offices to guarantee the right quality and quantities for the group, using the right mix of vendors and locations to obtain the best price with minimum risk
• Manage tenders with buying offices and select the suppliers using negotiation where needed
• Select suppliers and propose the selection to the product lead
• Organise the buying programs involving the right parties: product development, strategic sourcing, manufacturing excellence teams

What’s the job

• Define the needs for the sub-category and the sourcing strategy
• Work with the product teams to understand the range and products composing it
• Analyse product components and manufacturing processes taking into account costing of products
• Identify suppliers and factories whilst working with sourcing offices where the right suppliers are in order to be able to guarantee the right quality and quantities for the group using the right mix of vendors and right locations to obtain the best price with the minimum level of risk
• Manage tenders with buying offices and select the suppliers using negotiation where needed
• Select suppliers and propose the selection to the product lead
• Organise the buying programs involving the right parties: product development, strategic sourcing, manufacturing excellence teams

• Strong product expertise including building range structure, product development/costing, materials & components and manufacturing processes with experience in clothing/textile
• Buying experience completed by a personal experience in home improvement
• Experienced in the products of his sub categories, understanding the manufacturing process
• Fluent spoken and written English. Other languages skills (p. ex French) would be advantageous
• Exposure to Product Lifecycle Management and Product Development
• Ability to influence at a senior level, has presence and is impactful and can engage and build good rapport
• Is conscientious and delivers as promised; is personally organised translating goals into personal and team plans

Be Behaviours

• Be Customer Focused – constantly improving our customers’ experience
• I listen to my customers
• I use available data to help make decisions

• Be Human – acting with humanity and care
• I do the right thing

• Be Curious – thrive on learning, thinking beyond the obvious
• I build and share new ideas
• I try new things and share my learnings

• Be Agile – working with trust, pace and agility
• I have courage to be creative
• Done is better than perfect, I aim for 80/20

• Be Inclusive – acting inclusively in diverse teams to work together
• I embrace allyship
• I have self-awareness and a desire to learn

• Be Accountable – championing the plan to deliver results and growth
• I own my actions
• I understand the Kingfisher plan and how it relates to my role

Candidate Experience

At Kingfisher, we value the perspectives that any new team members bring, and we want to hear from you. We encourage you to apply for one of our roles even if you do not feel you meet 100% of the requirements.

In return, we offer an inclusive environment where what you can achieve is limited only by your imagination! We encourage new ideas, actively support experimentation, and strive to build an environment where everyone can be their best self. Find out more about Diversity & Inclusion at Kingfisher.

We also offer a competitive benefits package and plenty of opportunities to stretch and grow your career.

Interested? Great, apply now and help us to Power the Possible.

#LI-BN1

What we offer

• Private Health Care — opportunity to receive up to family level cover with AXA. Join within three months of starting or at annual renewal in April. (This benefit is subject to Benefit In Kind taxation).
• Kingfisher Pension Scheme — Immediate eligibility through auto-enrolment. Contribute 8% to receive a max 14% from the Company.
• 25 Days' Holiday — 25 days per annum plus bank holidays as stated in your contract (pro rated for part time colleagues).
• Staff Discount — 20% discount at B&Q and Screwfix. Eligible after 3 months service.
• Kingfisher Share Incentive Plan (SIP) — Share ownership in a tax efficient way. Save between £10 to £150 per month. Join at any time once three months service is reached.
• Life Assurance — x4 Salary plus benefit equal to value of your Retirement Account (if an active member of KPS-MP) or x1 Salary if not active member.
• Bonus — Competitive bonus scheme that aligns to work level of role.
• Kingfisher Share Save — Save with the option to buy Kingfisher plc shares at the end of a 3 or 5 year period. Offered annually. Three months service is required at the annual invitation date, normally in October.

Our Behaviours

• Constantly improving our customer experience
• Acting with humanity and care
• Be curious
• Thriving on learning, thinking beyond the obvious
• Be inclusive, acting inclusively in diverse teams to achieve together
• Be agile, working with trust, pace and agility
• Be accountable, championing the plan to deliver results and growth

Training & Development

There are so many ways you can grow, learn, and develop here at Kingfisher. At whatever pace suits you.

Conversations with senior leaders

Resources and tools to help you grow

Improving without instruments to help you learn is near impossible. That’s why we make sure you have everything at your fingertips to find exactly what you need to keep growing.

Initiatives that measure development

With plans that ask you what you want to achieve and when you want to achieve them by, tracking progress and keeping development at the forefront of conversation is easy.

Find your path

The scale of group functions within Kingfisher is huge. That means you have the chance to build different career paths within multiple areas of the organisation.

Sharing is caring

We aren’t selfish here at Kingfisher. Whatever your level of experience, you’ll work with colleagues who are always welcoming and ready to share their knowledge.

Reach for the stars

So your ambitions are high? We have opportunities to find experiences in line with more senior roles and responsibilities. Here, you can evolve your career, no matter your level.

Why Kingfisher

We’re an innovative, international retailer on a journey to actively make a difference. You can be part of the difference and progress in a collaborative environment.

Application Process

What to expect from our application process…

Step 1: Application

Send in your application via our Kingfisher Careers website.

Step 2: Review

A member of the Talent Acquisition team will review your application and let you know if you have progressed to the next stage.

Step 3: Interview 1

You’ll then have a telephone interview/one-to-one conversation with a recruiter.

Step 4: Interview 2

As you progress, you’ll be invited to attend a face-to-face or virtual interview.

Step 5: Feedback

Your recruiter will be in contact with feedback and, if successful, the details of your job offer!