Senior Commercial Procurement Manager ( Fresh Produce)

POSITION TITLE: Senior Commercial Procurement Manager

LOCATION: Office Based ( 2/3 days ) / Home based Flexible.

REPORTS TO: Procurement Director

Key Responsibilities

Procurement & Supply Strategy

• Develop and implement sourcing and procurement strategies aligned to business objectives.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with growers, suppliers and strategic partners.

• Secure supply programmes that deliver quality, availability, service and value.

• Lead supplier negotiations, contracts and commercial agreements.

Commercial & Financial Management

• Manage category performance, delivering sales, margin and profitability targets.

• Identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency and commercial returns.

• Support budget, forecast and business planning processes.

• Monitor market trends, crop conditions and supply risks to inform purchasing decisions.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Develop strategic supplier partnerships to support long-term business growth.

• Conduct regular supplier reviews to assess performance and identify improvement opportunities.

• Manage supplier performance against agreed KPIs and service expectations.

• Resolve commercial issues and disputes in a timely manner.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop Commercial Executives and wider team members.

• Create a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement.

• Support succession planning and talent development.

• Manage individual and team performance effectively.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales, Operations, Technical, Logistics and Finance teams.

• Ensure procurement decisions support customer requirements and business objectives.

• Drive effective communication across internal and external stakeholders.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives across the supply chain.

Experience

• Proven procurement or buying experience within Produce, Food or FMCG.

• Strong supplier negotiation and relationship management skills.

• Experience managing commercial performance and profitability.

• Strong market knowledge and understanding of supply chain dynamics.

• Leadership experience with the ability to develop and coach others.

• Excellent commercial and analytical skills