WHO WE ARE
Alkemista is a premium liquid development company. We create award-winning drinks for ambitious founder-led brands and major global drinks companies - from category-defining spirits and RTDs to the next generation of alcohol-free. Our clients include Moth, Pathfinder, Served, Aplos, Goodrays and Malfy gin, and we've helped create over £850M in founder exit value.
We run multiple complex development projects simultaneously, across the UK and internationally. Every one of those projects depends on a supply chain that actually works - ingredients arriving on time, costings that are accurate, samples reaching clients and co-manufacturers without delays or errors.
This role sits right at the centre of that. It's not glamorous in the obvious sense, but if you're someone who gets genuine satisfaction from keeping complex moving parts in order - and who understands that a missed delivery or a mispriced costing has real consequences for real brands - you'll understand exactly why it matters.
THE ROLE
This is a procurement-led, operationally focused role. Your primary job is to source and buy the ingredients, flavours, and materials that our liquid developers need - then make sure they arrive where they're supposed to, when they're supposed to, at the price that was agreed.
You'll manage a wide supplier network spanning flavour houses, ingredient suppliers, and logistics partners across the UK, Europe, and beyond. You'll handle costings, purchase orders, shipping documentation, and international sample logistics. You'll chase, confirm, check, and follow up - constantly.
The role runs across five days per week, Monday to Friday, with a flexible pattern open to discussion. The volume of work is real. You’ll need to be genuinely organised, commercially sharp, and comfortable holding suppliers accountable without making it difficult.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Procurement & Supplier Management
– Source ingredients, flavours, and raw materials for live development projects - balancing quality, price, availability, and MOQ requirements
– Manage an active supplier network including flavour houses, ingredient suppliers, and specialist producers across the UK and internationally
– Send detailed pricing requests, chase quotations, negotiate MOQs, and confirm lead times
– Maintain supplier relationships proactively - keeping communication clear and follow-ups timely
– Identify and onboard new suppliers when existing ones can't meet project needs, including completing supplier onboarding documentation
– Respond to complex sourcing challenges - seasonal availability, unusual ingredients, volume constraints - with practical solutions
Costing & Commercial Management
– Prepare and maintain accurate costings for new and existing projects across multiple clients
– Update pricing in response to supplier changes, volume fluctuations, and contract renewals
– Manage pricing risk - flagging misalignments between quoted and actual costs before they become problems
– Maintain master costing sheets with discipline and accuracy
– Support annual pricing negotiations and supplier contract reviews
Order Management
– Own the end-to-end purchase order workflow: from requirements through to delivery confirmation
– Raise POs, track acknowledgements, verify quantities and pricing, and manage any amendments
– Monitor delivery timelines and chase proactively - not reactively
– Resolve discrepancies in supplier pricing, quantities, or delivery details before they affect project delivery
Sample & International Logistics
– Coordinate the preparation and dispatch of ingredient and flavour samples to clients, co-manufacturers, and external labs - both domestically and internationally
– Manage all associated documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of analysis (COAs), and customs paperwork
– Liaise with freight partners for pricing, booking, and shipment tracking
– Ensure samples and materials reach their destination accurately and on time, with all relevant parties kept informed
Inventory & Materials
– Monitor incoming deliveries and resolve discrepancies in quantities, specifications, or packaging
– Manage and distribute COAs for all ingredients
– Maintain the flavour and ingredient inventory - tracking stock levels, expiry, and reorder points
– Manage the flavour library and ensure materials remain within date and specification
Project & Team Support
– Act as the operational link between the technical team, suppliers, and logistics providers across multiple concurrent projects
– Support liquid developers by ensuring ingredients are available when development timelines demand them
– Attend internal project meetings and contribute to planning - flagging supply risks early
– Manage supplier-side administration so the technical team can stay focused on the work
WHO YOU ARE
The person who thrives in this role isn't the loudest in the room. They're the one who quietly makes sure nothing falls through the gaps.
– You're organised in a way that's second nature - not something you have to work at. Multiple suppliers, multiple projects, multiple deadlines running simultaneously doesn't faze you; it's just Tuesday.
– You're commercially aware. You understand that a costing error or a supplier price change that doesn't get flagged has a direct impact on the business and the client. You catch those things.
– You communicate clearly and confidently with suppliers - chasing without being chased, holding people accountable without creating friction.
– You're comfortable with international logistics and the documentation that comes with it: commercial invoices, packing lists, COAs, customs requirements.
– You're proficient in Excel and confident managing data accurately. Experience with procurement or order management systems is a plus.
– You hold a UK driving licence and have the flexibility to travel when the role requires it.
– A degree isn't essential, but you'll need to demonstrate real experience in procurement, supply chain, or a closely related operations role.
The drinks industry has its quirks - lead times that shift, MOQs that don't match development needs, seasonal ingredients that disappear. You don't need to know the industry inside out on day one, but you'll need to get up to speed quickly and handle its particular flavour of chaos with good humour.
WHY ALKEMISTA
The brands we work on are the interesting ones - founder-led, ambitious, often category-defining. The supply chain behind them is genuinely complex, and the work you'll do here will stretch your skills in ways a more conventional procurement role won't.
We're a small team, which means your contribution is visible and valued. When the supply side runs well, everyone notices. You'll work closely with liquid developers, the QC Manager, and directly with clients and suppliers - not buried in a back-office function.
There's real room to grow here too. As Alkemista scales, this role will scale with it.
WHAT'S ON OFFER
– £28,000 – £32,000 pro-rata, dependent on experience
– Performance bonuses tied to company results
– Enrolment in the Alkemista profit share scheme
– Professional development budget
– Pension, healthcare and wellbeing support
– Part-time hours across four to five days per week
AT A GLANCE
Location
Hatfield Broad Oak, Herts (with travel required)
Reporting to
Technical Director
Experience
Proven procurement or supply chain background
Education
GCSEs / A-levels minimum; degree not essential
Hours
5 days per week, Mon–Fri. Preferred pattern: 2–3 days 9.30am–3.30pm, 2 days 9.00am–5.00pm. Open to discussion.
Type
Permanent
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: £28,000.00-£32,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Experience:
- coordination role: 2 years (required)
Language:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
