Head of Procurement – Produce & Ambient
2 days ago
Waltham Cross
Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire Salary: CompetitiveWe’re recruiting a Head of Procurement (Produce & Ambient) to lead sourcing, supplier strategy, and commercial performance across one of the most business-critical areas of our operation.This is a high-impact, senior commercial role with ownership of fresh produce at its core, alongside dairy, bakery, chilled, frozen, and ambient food categories. You’ll play a pivotal part in securing supply, protecting margins, and building an industry-leading procurement function.The RoleAs Head of Procurement, you will: • Own the end-to-end sourcing strategy across fresh produce, dairy, bakery, chilled, frozen, and ambient categories, • Lead and develop a high-performing procurement team, with clear succession planning, • Manage domestic and global suppliers, growers, processors, and import partners, • Negotiate short, medium, and long-term contracts, driving value, resilience, and continuity of supply, • Balance commercial performance with food safety, ethical, and sustainability standards, • Work cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Technical, Quality, Logistics, Operations, and Sales, • Mitigate risk linked to seasonality, weather, market volatility, and global supply disruption, • Drive margin performance, cost savings, forecast accuracy, waste reduction, and supplier KPIsWhat We’re Looking ForYou’ll be a proven procurement leader with:, • Significant senior-level procurement experience within food, with a strong bias to fresh produce, • Multi-category exposure across fresh, chilled, frozen, bakery, dairy, and ambient, • Deep understanding of produce seasonality, global sourcing, and pricing dynamics, • Strong commercial acumen and negotiation capability within FMCG, • Experience modernising or transforming procurement functions, • Previous people leadership experience within food or fresh produce, • CIPS or equivalent qualification (desirable)You’ll also bring gravitas, resilience, and the ability to operate calmly in fast-moving, commercially intense environments.What’s on Offer, • Competitive annual salary, • Bonus Scheme, • Car allowance, • 25 days holiday + bank holidays, • Private health insurance, pension, life assurance, • Retail discounts and additional long-service benefitsWorking Pattern, • Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, • Early starts required to align with operational changeovers, • Flexibility during seasonal peaks and international supplier travel (UK & overseas)If you’re a senior procurement professional with deep fresh-produce expertise and ambition to shape strategy at scale, we’d love to hear from you.Reynolds Food Group is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.REF-227 877