Buyer - Food (Maternity cover 12months)

Role Responsibility

Are you looking for a new challenge that gives you the chance to get creative and use your knowledge of food buying to elevate our Foodhall offering? Looking for a company that wants to help further your career in buying, as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work?  

If the answer to all these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re the kind of person we’re looking for! 

As a food buyer, you will source new brands and product, whilst negotiating the best terms for Selfridges, as well as manage our existing brand portfolio. You will work closely with internal and external stakeholders in order to drive sales and maximise profitability and further enhance our reputable foodhall, and its offering.

As a food buyer you will:​

• Source new brands, product and retail experiences in line with the strategy through knowledge and expertise of the product and market​
• Negotiate the best possible terms with suppliers i.e. margin, trade discounts, markdown support ​
  Ensure that buying decisions are based on a sound commercial framework to drive sales and profits​
• Develop and maintain brand relationships to ensure that Selfridges is consistently presented with first to market and exclusive opportunities
• Work closely with the Merchandiser to plan the OTB and to monitor and review in season, taking action and making recommendations to the Buying Manager where necessary
• Be responsible for range planning, working closely with the Merchandiser and Buying Manager​
• Manage existing brand portfolio through analysis of performance and close collaboration with brand partners, taking action when necessary and making decision to keep or discontinue within the business​
• Manage the performance of concession businesses through regular meetings with the concession partners and analysis of their performance, making recommendations to the Buying Manager ​
• To be responsible for the ordering process within the area, ensuring compliance with all relevant processes ​

The Ideal Candidate

• Highly knowledgeable. You will have a well-developed and informed understanding of the food category, as well as the wider food industry.
• Strategic and operational. With strong analytical skills and experience driving long-term and profitable commercial strategies, you’ll be able to successfully manage projects from ideation through to completion. ​
• Engaging. Able to influence your stakeholders, retail and brands, you know how to use both data and market trends to drive commercial opportunities ​
• Customer focused. Combined with exceptional taste and instinct, you are able to push the boundaries to offer new and exciting products
• All over the numbers. You are numerate with a highly commercial approach, as well as proficient in excel​
• Collaborative. Working flexibly as part of the wider buying team you will support in projects and cross functional meetings as appropriate​
• An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague​

This job is a brilliant opportunity to join a close-knit team who are incredibly passionate about taking our food offering to the next level. If you’re looking to come into a new role and make a real impact, then this will be perfect for you.

About the Company

Rewards and benefits 

Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility criteria)

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

To ensure every feels welcome, we offer support at every stage of the application and interview process.  Should you need it, please let your recruitment contact know and they will be more than happy to help.

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges