Group Buyer

Anderson Knight is delighted to be partnering with a leading UK manufacturing business to recruit an experienced Group Packaging Buyer to join its established Procurement function. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially focused procurement professional with experience across packaging, FMCG or food manufacturing to take ownership of a significant packaging portfolio and play a key role in supplier strategy, cost optimisation, innovation and sustainability. The Role As Group Packaging Buyer, you will manage the end-to-end procurement of packaging materials across an allocated supplier and product portfolio, ensuring the business receives the right quality, service and commercial value. Working collaboratively with Procurement, Technical, NPD, Operations, Supply Chain and Finance, you will develop strong supplier relationships while identifying opportunities to improve cost, service, supply resilience and packaging performance. Key Responsibilities

• Manage the sourcing and procurement of packaging materials across a defined portfolio.
• Develop and implement effective sourcing strategies aligned with business requirements.
• Negotiate supplier pricing, contracts, payment terms, lead times and commercial agreements.
• Monitor market conditions, commodity movements and supplier pricing to identify risks and opportunities.
• Deliver cost-saving and cost-avoidance opportunities and support budgeting and spend analysis.
• Manage supplier performance across cost, quality, service, lead times and delivery.
• Identify alternative suppliers and sourcing opportunities to strengthen supply resilience.
• Support NPD projects, packaging trials and new product launches.
• Identify opportunities for packaging optimisation, standardisation and cost reduction.
• Work with suppliers to develop recycled, recyclable, reusable and lower-impact packaging solutions.
• Manage commercial risks associated with supply, quality and material availability. The Candidate We are keen to speak with commercially astute procurement professionals who can demonstrate:
• Previous experience within a buying or procurement role, ideally within food manufacturing, FMCG or a related sector.
• Experience purchasing packaging materials or working closely with packaging suppliers.
• Strong commercial, sourcing and negotiation skills.
• A proven track record of supplier and contract management.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret spend, pricing and market information.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Experience working with ERP/procurement systems and strong Excel capability.
• Knowledge of packaging formats including flexible packaging, cartons, labels, films, trays and cases would be advantageous.
• A CIPS qualification, or working towards CIPS, would also be beneficial. Why Apply? This is a highly visible procurement position offering genuine commercial influence across a substantial UK manufacturing operation. You will have the opportunity to shape packaging strategy, improve supplier performance, support innovation and contribute directly to the organisation's sustainability objectives. The role offers a competitive benefits package alongside excellent opportunities for continued professional development and career progression. For further information or a confidential discussion, please forward your CV.