Food Buyer | Retail | Marks & Spencer | UAE (Dubai, AE)

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Job Requisition ID: 157116

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview of the role:

The role of the food buyer is to purchase external brands / local sourcing products (Ambient, Frozen, Grocery & Chilled, non-food) to be sold in the stores and used as materials for cafes across MENA region.

The job holder is responsible for the following:

<ul>
<li>Sourcing and developing new brands and categories by analyzing the gaps opportunities vs M&S range and the markets trends</li>
<li>Launching new projects commercially.</li>
<li>Planning/achieving agreed net margins, wastage & markdown as per food strategy</li>
<li>Tracking and reporting key functional metrics to maximized profits, grow market share and sales, and create joined business plans for growth with regional suppliers in line with the food strategy and with M&S Plan A sustainability plan.</li>
<li>Liaising with UK, planning, ordering, listing and forecasting M&S product for all markets in MENA and manage stocks to ensure full availability across all MENA stores. (M&S nonfood, Café ingredients)</li>
<li>On-boarding suppliers and sourcing strategies.</li>
<li>Signing commercial agreements with suppliers and implementing in store activities related to local supplier.</li>
<li>Category management and store layout.</li>
</ul>

What you will do:-

Description of Accountability:

Food Operation

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Planning, forecasting, and ordering for all the relevant product categories.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Build and develop relationships with new regional suppliers for various branded categories.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Build, manage and develop joined business plans and commercial agreements with suppliers negotiating beneficial terms for the company, optimal cost prices, BDI’s etc.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Maintaining and storing supplier database, contract records, product specification sheets and related documentation.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Ensuring all the sourced products meet the required quality standards and specifications as per M&S and/or country requirements</li>
</ul>

Delivery Management

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>To research market trends, market prices and continued competitor analysis reviews to identify potential price reviews opportunities with suppliers.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Creates an annual category plan in terms of promotions, events and new product range to grow sales, profitability, and increase market share in a customer-focused manner.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Plan and leads yearly product category reviews and benchmark.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Support the delivery of shared targets across the wider team</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Successfully source and manage supplier relationships to deliver performance in line with the food strategy.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Build and send category tender out to current and new supplier identify any potential cost savings.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Liaise with Logistics and the compliance team to ensure product is registered and RTM stablished before ordering.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Work cross-functionally and communicate weekly with Operations, Marketing, M&S UK team, Stores and Supply Chain.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Continuously searching for opportunities to maximize sales and cash margin. </li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Plan and implement long-term development strategies for product categories Handling recipe and menu management system for M&S Cafes within MENA region</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Working closely with Digital team to build/update the online platform catalogue and maintain stock availability</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Supervising Food Category Assistants Duties Liaise with the UK team to monitor the incoming shipments to avoid unexpected delays and take immediate action in case of any impact on the stock availability</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Coordinating with Marketing, Food operation team and stores team for launching new ranges/events </li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Working closely with Logistics team to improve supply chain, reduce delivery lead time to save cost and improve stock availability especially in non- UAE markets</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Build good Relationships with colleagues within M&S MENA</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Build good relationships with UK M&S team, AFG Operations Team, VM Team, Marketing Team, Digital and Store Team</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Provides regular feedback to team members and recognizes individuals who perform well in their role </li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Communicates effectively and engages team through regular updates and team briefs</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Manages, develops, and defines objectives and KPI’s for his/hers Category Assistant. </li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Builds a strong training, recruitment, succession and engagement plan for the Hospitality team- Operation Napkin revised.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Understands Employee Engagement Survey scores and makes commitments to drive improvements across the team/department/store</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Recognizes individuals and team to celebrate success</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Takes an active role in ensuring all new and existing employees develop the skills and experience to perform well in their role</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Implements company HR policies fairly and consistently</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Able to analyze financial, market and customer data to identify opportunities.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Able to spot issues and effectively plan to mitigate risk</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Computer literacy, knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint & SAP</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Contract negotiation skills</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Outgoing, positive, willing to take challenges and work under pressure</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>A results-driven personality who values teamwork as an integral part of getting great results</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Bachelor Degree </li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>5+ years of experience in Food Buying in FMCG companies.</li>
<li style=”text-align:justify”>Food technical and supply chain experience would be ideal.</li>
<li>Understanding of buying merchandising.</li>
<li>Very organized, structured </li>
<li>Very good communication skills </li>
<li>Very curious and outgoing </li>
</ul>

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options. 
 
Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference…
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