Al Futtaim Jobs - Buying Manager - Food | Marks & Spencer | Dubai, UAE (Dubai, AE)

Job Requisition ID: 62079 

No two days are the same at Al-Futtaim, no matter what role you have. Our work is driven by the desire to make a difference and to have a meaningful impact with the goal of enriching everyday lives. Take our engaging and supportive work environment and couple it with a company culture that recognises and rewards quality performance, and what do you get? The chance to push the limits every single day.

 

As a humble family business that started on the banks of the Dubai Creek in the 1930s, Al-Futtaim has expanded to a presence in 31 countries, a portfolio of over 200 companies, and 42,000 employees. You’ll find us in industries ranging from automotive and retail, to finance and real estate, and connecting people with international names like Lexus, Ikea, Robinsons, and Adidas. Our team is proudly multicultural and multinational because that kind of diverse representation gives us the global mindset to grow and impact the people, markets, and trends around us.

 

Come join us to live well, work better, and be the best.

About the Role

We are currently looking for a dynamic and competent Buying Manager for Food division, responsible for delivering both the product range buying plan, the pricing and promotional stratey. In this role, you will be accountable for achieving budgeted KPI's of sales, gross and net margin, COR, and waste in line with the approved business plan. You will lead the food buying and merchandising team to forecast, order and allocate product in line with the overall business strategy and food growth plan from source through to store, ensuring optimal product availability to achieve KPI's. You will work collaboratively with the wider functional brand teams: Logistics & Registration, Retail Operations team and stores to ensure alignment on delivery of the food plan, trading priorities, space utilization, new store openings and implementing new initiatives.

 

Key Role Specific Accountabilities:

Financial

• Budgeted food KPI’s achieved – Food sales budget agreed and delivered
• Waste, COR, gross & net margin controlled to achieve agreed budget
• Business profit delivered to budget
• Food stores trading profitably

Commercial Planning and Product Strategy

• Pricing and promotions strategy implemented with ongoing review mechanism in place
• Consistent delivery of newness achieved through effective foward range planning
• Seasonal events accuratelyl planned including attendance at UK buying fairs
• Consistent product availability achieved through accurate forward planning
• Store catalogues clearly defined by space, location, and profile
• Improved core product choice achieved through profitable range development
• Seasonal range growth achieved through market specific NPD
• Growth in hospitality achieved through profitable menu development
• Consistent store layouts achieved through deployment of store range and space matrix
• Detailed knowledge of range, the market, and key competitors demonstrated through agreed strategic priorities
• Supply chain costs optimised through controlled inventory management
• Fully compliant food operation to ensure legal and brand policies are met
• Strategically aligned marketing campaigns delivered through close collaboration with marketing function

People

• Improved staff engagement scores delivered through a motivated and high performing food buying team
• Strong internal relationships with key functional leaders & stakeholders
• Solid relationships with UK Food and franchise teams
• Trust built with UK technical team to overcome market specific restrictions and unlock growth opportunities
• Engaged store colleagues kept informed though effective communication channels

 

About the Role

To be successfuly considered for this role, the candidate should meet the following criteria:

• University degree, or equivalent qualification ideally related to retail/ food

• 10 years’ experience in a food buying function with multi market food retailers (such as supermarkets with presence in more than one country), local market exposure (UAE or MENA region preferred)
• Extensive technical knowledge and related certifications for Food and Hygiene.
• Experience leading a team in the buying function. Excellent interpersonal & leadership skills
• A proven track record in retail food operations. With a wide network of contacts and an understanding of consumers’ behaviours and needs.
• Experience dealing with suppliers and understanding supplier rates - can hit the ground running
• Able to analyse complex data and make accurate and timely decisions
• An understanding of the key financial and commercial levers in retail management
• Outgoing, positive, willing to take challenges and work under pressure
• A results-driven personality who values teamwork as an integral part of getting great results
• Connects with our customer and each other by being positive, determined, respectful and taking ownership & responsibility to actively sell.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills,
• Decision making, planning and stake holder management skills.

 

 

We’re here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

 

Before you click “apply”: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

 

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.

Apply Now