Procurement Manager in Colchester

Job DescriptionLocation: Essex, UK Salary: Competitive + benefits Sector: Fresh Produce | Procurement | Commercial Ready to take your procurement career to the next level? An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Fresh Produce Procurement Manager to take ownership of a dynamic product portfolio and play a key role in ensuring the right produce is sourced, at the right quality, at the right price — and at the right time. This is a role for someone who understands that successful procurement isn’t simply about negotiating a price. It’s about knowing the market, understanding supply, building trusted grower relationships and spotting opportunities before the competition does. What will you be doing? You’ll take responsibility for the end-to-end procurement of raw material, working closely with growers, suppliers, commercial teams, technical colleagues, logistics and customers. Your responsibilities will include: * Developing and managing a strong network of UK and international growers and suppliers * Negotiating commercial terms, pricing and supply agreements * Monitoring market conditions, crop forecasts, availability and pricing * Securing reliable supply while maintaining the required quality standards * Building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with growers and suppliers * Managing supply risk and identifying alternative sources where required * Working closely with Technical and Quality teams to ensure suppliers meet customer requirements * Supporting commercial teams with market intelligence, pricing and product availability * Identifying new sourcing opportunities and potential suppliers * Managing budgets, margins and procurement performance * Using market knowledge and data to make commercially sound decisions What are they looking for? The successful candidate will ideally have proven procurement experience within fresh produce, horticulture, food manufacturing or a closely related environment. They’ll be someone who: * Understands the fresh produce supply chain * Has strong commercial and negotiation skills * Builds excellent relationships with growers and suppliers * Is confident working with pricing, margins and market data * Can negotiate firmly without compromising long-term relationships * Has excellent communication and influencing skills * Is commercially driven, proactive and highly organised * Can react quickly when markets and supply conditions change * Enjoys getting into the detail but can also see the bigger picture Most importantly, they’ll be a relationship builder, commercially astute and genuinely passionate about fresh produce. Why this opportunity? This is an opportunity to join a forward-thinking business where procurement is central to commercial success. You’ll have the autonomy to influence sourcing strategy, develop supplier relationships and make a tangible difference to the performance of the business. If you know your growers from your growers’ prices, understand how quickly a crop situation can change, and thrive on the challenge of securing great produce in a competitive market — this could be the role for you. Interested? If you’re an experienced Fresh Produce Procurement professional looking for your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now for a confidential conversation about the opportunity or call Ian Reed at Redfox quoting ref: 6107IR