Product Buyer
Elland, West Yorkshire

About us

Here at Suma we’ve been doing things a bit differently for over 40 years. Not only in our mission to supply everything vegetarian, ethical and sustainable, but also in how we are run.

Suma is a worker co-operative; a business owned and run by the nearly 200 members who work here. We’re a group of ordinary people who have built a business on principles of integrity and equality. Suma’s employees work together to collectively set the direction of the business - there’s no shareholders and no traditional ‘bosses’. Everyone at Suma gets paid the same wage, takes personal responsibility and has an understanding of the whole business.

About the job

As a co-op, we are more than the sum of our parts, and we are seeking a Product Buyer to be based at our main offices in Elland, West Yorkshire. This is a Trial Membership role, which is our pathway to a permanent employment.

As a Product Buyer, your role is responsible for maintaining and developing your own portfolio of products and suppliers, in line with Suma’s overall strategy, and ensuring we have adequate stock levels. You will build relationships with suppliers and internal departments, and report to the Buying Co-ordinator. We are looking for someone with previous buying or purchasing experience, preferably within the wholefood market, and with excellent negotiation and communication skills.

There are a number of great benefits which are shared by all Suma employees:

- A competitive, equal pay salary
- Generous holiday entitlement
- Flexible working
- Staff discount
- Free meals whilst on-site
- Overtime can be taken as pay or time off in lieu
- Access to occupational sick pay

We are looking to fill this post on a full-time basis (four or five days a week).

Salary £15.92 per hour £33,113.60 per annum pro rata

Suma is committed to principles of diversity and inclusion and encourages applicants from all backgrounds.

About you

To be considered as a Product Buyer, you will need:

- Previous buying experience
- Strong communication and negotiation skills
- Knowledge of the food retail and distribution market/industry
- An understanding and respect for the co-operative values and principles
- To be willing to work co-operatively
- To want to contribute to the wider business
- To be a professional representative of Suma

To apply

Please select the apply button for an application form and visit our website for full job descriptions. Please note that we only accept applications on our own forms and do not accept CVs. The website is also a great place to find out more about us and what we do.

The closing date for applications is 24th Jan 2021. We cannot accept applications received after this time. First stage interviews will be conducted in the week commencing 8th Feb 2021, the exact date will be confirmed nearer the time.

For questions or more information, email Rebecca Kinnard or call our Personnel Team (contact details are provided on our website).

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.

Other organisations may call this role Buyer, Food Product Buyer, FMCG Buyer, Procurement Executive, or Purchasing Executive.

We recruit temporary workers on an ongoing basis to work at our Elland warehouse or drive our trucks.

We offer up to 18 month contracts for Warehouse Pickers and LGV Drivers. Because Suma is busy it’s hard work, but you’ll be well rewarded with pay at the same rate as everyone else, plenty of options for paid overtime, the kind of open and democratic culture you’d expect from a large worker co-op, and for those based in Elland, a fantastic meal every day.