Buying Manager, lifestyle brand

• £55,000
• London

A fast-scaling consumer goods business with a bold product vision and a growing global footprint is looking for a passionate, driven Buying Manager to join their team. Operating across international markets with a diverse global supplier base, this is a business that genuinely cares about what it makes — and how it makes it. With sustainability, quality and commercial ambition at the heart of everything they do, this is a brand you’ll be proud to represent.

Role Overview

This is a senior, commercially focused buying role for someone who takes real ownership of outcomes. You’ll drive the sourcing strategy, lead supplier negotiations, and build a resilient, future-ready supply base that can support the business as it scales. Working cross-functionally across product, sales and operations, you’ll be a key commercial partner – operating with pace, ambition and a genuine passion for getting the best from your supplier relationships.

About You

You’re a hands-on buying professional who thrives on commercial challenge. You know how to build supplier relationships that go beyond transactional, you negotiate with confidence and precision, and you understand that great buying is as much about strategy as it is about product. You’re comfortable working at pace in a scaling business, you take full ownership of your category, and you bring the kind of energy and rigour that drives real results.

Key Responsibilities:

Sourcing Strategy & Supplier Management

• Develop and implement a scalable sourcing strategy aligned to volume growth, margin improvement and speed to market
• Build, manage and optimise a diverse global supplier base suited to high-volume supply chains
• Lead complex tenders and strategic sourcing decisions end-to-end, ensuring commercial robustness and delivery capability
• Shift supplier relationships from transactional to long-term strategic partnerships focused on performance, cost and reliability
• Identify opportunities for supply chain simplification, consolidation and efficiency gains

Commercial Ownership & Margin Delivery

• Own supplier commercial negotiations including pricing, cost structures, rebates and contractual terms
• Drive measurable margin improvement through proactive cost control and supplier challenge
• Provide clear visibility of cost drivers, risks and commercial opportunities to senior stakeholders
• Support budgeting, forecasting and pricing decisions with accurate and insight-led cost modelling
• Take full accountability for commercial performance across the relevant category or supply base

Tender, Bid & Project Leadership

• Lead commercial input into large-scale tenders, bids and cross-functional business proposals
• Own sourcing decisions end-to-end rather than operating in a support capacity
• Partner with sales, product and operations teams to ensure proposals are commercially viable, competitive and deliverable
• Review commercial outcomes and refine sourcing and negotiation approaches to improve future performance

 Supply Chain Insight & Risk Management

• Monitor market dynamics, commodity pressures and global supply chain risks
• Anticipate disruption and implement contingency planning, including dual-sourcing strategies where required
• Identify new suppliers, materials and production innovations to enhance cost efficiency and resilience
• Reduce reliance on single-source suppliers or regions through proactive diversification

 Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Manage and develop a small buying team, setting clear expectations and driving accountability
• Operate as a hands-on leader with full ownership rather than a purely supervisory management style
• Act as a key commercial partner to product development, sales and operations teams
• Influence stakeholders at all levels with strong commercial rationale and clear communication

 Responsible Sourcing & Continuous Improvement

• Promote ethical, responsible and sustainable sourcing practices across the supplier base
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, supplier management and negotiation strategy
• Encourage innovation that improves cost efficiency, scalability and environmental performance

Key Requirements

• Strong buying, purchasing, sourcing or category management experience within consumer goods, homeware, gifting or related product-led environments
• Proven experience leading supplier negotiations and managing complex, long-term global supplier relationships
• A strong commercial mindset with demonstrable impact on margin, cost control and supplier performance
• Experience leading tenders or strategic sourcing decisions end-to-end
• Proven management experience
• A genuine commitment to ethical, responsible and sustainable sourcing
• Comfortable building and improving processes within a fast-paced, scaling business
• Experience managing or developing a small team
• Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels of a business
• Highly organised, analytically strong and able to manage multiple priorities with pace and precision
• London-based; willingness to travel internationally

Diversity & Inclusion: ILMJ values diversity, equality and inclusion and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and identities.