Category Buying Manager - Grocery (Confectionery, Soft Drinks, Ambient)
Salary: £40,000 - £110,000 + bonus
Location: North West (Full-Time, Head Office Based)
Employment: Full Time, Permanent
We are working with a well-established and fast-growing UK food retailer looking to appoint a Category Buying Manager to take ownership of a key grocery category.
This is a highly commercial, fast-paced role suited to buyers who thrive on trading, decision-making and delivering results. You will have full ownership of your category, driving performance across pricing, promotions, range and supplier strategy.
The Role
As Category Buying Manager, you will take full ownership of a high-profile ambient grocery category (e.g. confectionery, soft drinks, biscuits, pet food), responsible for driving commercial performance, supplier strategy and product development.
This is a senior, hands-on role suited to someone who thrives in a fast-paced retail environment and is comfortable operating with both strategic oversight and day-to-day trading responsibility.
You will work cross-functionally with commercial, supply chain and technical teams, while building and managing strong supplier partnerships to deliver category growth.
Category Buying Manager Responsibilities:
*Own the end-to-end performance of a key ambient grocery category
*Develop and deliver category strategy aligned to business objectives
*Lead supplier negotiations and manage key commercial partnerships
*Drive pricing, margin and promotional strategy in a fast-paced environment
*Oversee range planning, NPD and product lifecycle management
*Analyse category performance and react quickly to trading opportunities
*Collaborate with internal teams to ensure effective execution
*Identify opportunities for growth, innovation and efficiency
Category Buying Manager Benefits:
*Salary ranging from £40,000 - £110,000 depending on experience
*Performance-related bonus
*Opportunity to own and shape a key category within a major retailer
*High-impact role with strong visibility across the business
*Fast-paced, commercially driven environment
*Clear progression opportunities depending on level
Category Buying Manager Requirements:
This role would suit someone who:
*Has strong experience within true grocery / ambient categories (e.g. confectionery, soft drinks, biscuits, pet food)
*Has operated at Buyer, Senior Buyer, Buying Manager or similar level
*Demonstrates strong commercial acumen and negotiation capability
*Has experience managing supplier relationships at scale
*Is confident owning category performance, including P&L
*Has worked within high-volume UK food retail environments
*Thrives in a fast-paced, results-driven, trading-led setting
Desirable:
*Experience within high-volume, price-driven retail environments
*Strong background in promotional planning and pricing strategy
*Exposure to NPD and product innovation
*Experience managing or mentoring junior team members
To Be Considered:
Please either apply by clicking online or emailing directly to