Location: Birds Bakery, Ascot Drive, Derby
Department: Procurement / Bakery Operations
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Salary: £33,000.00 - £37,000.00 per annum, dependent on experience. Ideally the successful candidate will hold CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) or be working towards.
Join a Midlands Success Story
At Birds Bakery, we've been creating delicious products and serving our communities since 1919. As a proudly independent, family-owned business, we're passionate about combining traditional baking expertise with modern manufacturing and retail operations.
As we continue to grow and evolve, we're looking for an experienced and commercially minded Buyer to join our Procurement team in Derby.
This is an exciting opportunity for a procurement professional who enjoys building strong supplier relationships, negotiating value, analysing data, and ensuring the smooth supply of materials that keep a busy manufacturing operation running.
The Role
As Buyer, you will play a critical role in ensuring that Birds Bakery has the right ingredients, packaging and operational supplies available at the right time, quality and cost.
Working closely with colleagues across Operations, Production, Technical, Finance and Logistics, you'll manage day-to-day purchasing activities whilst supporting wider procurement strategies that drive efficiency, quality and service across the business.
In a food manufacturing environment, effective procurement is vital. Your decisions will directly impact product availability, supplier performance, stock management, cost control and customer satisfaction.
Key Responsibilities
Purchasing & Supply Management
- Manage the purchasing of ingredients, packaging, uniforms and operational supplies.
- Raise and manage purchase orders accurately and efficiently.
- Monitor stock levels and ensure materials are available to support production requirements.
- Track outstanding orders and proactively resolve supply issues.
- Manage minimum and maximum stock levels to minimise waste and excess inventory.
- Support contingency planning for key ingredients and materials.
Supplier Management
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers.
- Monitor supplier performance, including quality, service levels, pricing and delivery reliability.
- Resolve supply, delivery and commercial issues effectively.
- Support supplier reviews and identify opportunities to improve performance and resilience.
- Work closely with Technical and Quality teams to ensure suppliers meet required standards.
Commercial & Cost Management
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, delivery schedules and contractual arrangements.
- Monitor commodity and ingredient pricing trends.
- Identify opportunities to reduce costs whilst maintaining quality and service.
- Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations.
- Support ongoing and annual price negotiations.
- Maintain accurate supplier and pricing information within company systems.
New Product Development
- Source ingredients, packaging and materials for new product launches.
- Evaluate new suppliers and sourcing opportunities.
- Support trials and product launches by ensuring materials are available when required.
- Work collaboratively with Technical and NPD teams to meet required specifications.
Reporting & Analysis
- Produce regular procurement reports and purchasing analysis.
- Monitor spend, supplier performance and pricing movements.
- Analyse purchasing trends and identify improvement opportunities.
- Ensure ERP/MRP system data remains accurate and up to date.
Food Safety & Compliance
- Support supplier onboarding and approval processes.
- Ensure purchasing decisions align with food safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain supplier documentation and traceability records.
- Escalate and resolve supplier quality or compliance concerns.
Waste Management
- Monitor waste contracts and arrange collections.
- Control and report waste data on a monthly basis.
About You
We're looking for someone who understands that great procurement is about much more than securing the lowest price. You'll be focused on value, quality, supplier partnerships and operational continuity whilst delivering strong commercial results.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Previous experience in a buying, procurement or purchasing role (ideally within the food industry).
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills.
- Excellent organisational and communication skills.
- High attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong analytical skills with confidence working with data.
- Advanced Excel skills.
- Experience using ERP/MRP systems.
- Understanding of stock management and demand planning.
- Ability to manage multiple suppliers, priorities and deadlines.
- Strong relationship-building skills across internal and external stakeholders.
Desirable
- Experience within FMCG, food manufacturing, bakery or retail environments.
- Experience purchasing food ingredients or packaging.
- Knowledge of food safety, supplier approval and compliance processes.
- Experience managing commodity or volatile ingredient pricing.
- Experience with supplier reviews and contract negotiations.
What You'll Bring
You'll be:
- Commercially minded and value-focused.
- Proactive in identifying and solving supply challenges.
- Confident negotiating with suppliers.
- Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities.
- Analytical and data-driven in your decision-making.
- Collaborative and able to work effectively across departments.
- Resilient under pressure and adaptable to change.
- Focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Why Join Birds Bakery?
At Birds Bakery, you'll be joining a business with over 100 years of heritage, a strong reputation for quality, and ambitious plans for the future.
We offer the opportunity to work in a supportive and collaborative environment where your contribution will have a direct impact on the success of our products, operations and customers.
Ready to help shape the future of procurement at Birds Bakery? We'd love to hear from you!
Apply today and become part of the Birds Bakery story!
Pay: £33,000.00-£37,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
