Buying Manager

Summary

£77,000 - £88,000 | 35 days’ holiday (pro rata) | 10% in-store discount | Pension scheme

Everyone who works at Lidl brings something unique to the table - but we also have a whole lot in common. We’re curious, collaborative, and ready to make a tangible impact on where we work

Just like you.

Our award-winning Buying Department is now hiring a Buying Manager to join the team. You’ll play a major role in influencing every aspect of the range of goods that we offer to our customers from which products we sell, to the way they look and taste, developing our supply base and continuing to drive our market-leading position.

You’ll engage in a diverse range of activities including operations within our stores, product development, and contract negotiations, all on a global platform. You’ll be able to excel in a dynamic and high-pressure environment where every opinion is valued, and we are eager to hear yours. With a true enthusiasm for food retail, a proactive mindset, and a commitment to becoming a specialist in your area, you’ll be self-driven with a strong desire to succeed.

Our network of over 1000+ stores rely on your expertise in selecting the best products for our customers. If this piques your interest and you want to work for a fast-moving, award-winning retailer then show us what you have got!

At Lidl, we offer a hybrid working model to give you the best of both worlds. Spend three days or more in our state-of-the-art office within the newly built Motherwell distribution centre. With up to two days at home, you’ll find the work/life balance you need to thrive.

What you'll do

  • Demonstrate confidence in making decisions involving multi-million pound investments and in formulating solutions to intricate challenges; you are the one who steers the decision- making process for your categories.
  • Take charge of your categories and embrace the responsibility and accountability for all aspects, from sample tasting to the final approval of packaging design – our success hinges on your efforts
  • Oversee the essential timeline from product conception to its launch in our depots, ensuring that stock is delivered on time
  • Possessing a strong entrepreneurial spirit, you will demonstrate exceptional skills in negotiation and networking at the highest echelons. Your role will involve daily interactions not only with Account Managers but also with Commercial and Managing Directors from some of the largest manufacturers in the UK

  • Demonstrating confidence when presenting to Buying Directors and Board Directors
  • Utilise your keen analytical abilities, coupled with the capacity to recognise trends, project sales, and evaluate data to inform commercial decisions
  • Engage in negotiations to secure the most favourable commercial terms for the business, with a strong commitment to achieving exceptional outcomes
  • Continuously seek to enhance our customer offerings, as the pursuit of improvement is an ongoing endeavour
  • Collaborate with your fellow buyers and colleagues in other departments, but ultimately have the initiative to drive your own work independently
  • Reports into one of the Heads of Buying as part of a team of buyers

What you'll need
  • Experience working as a Buyer in the food retail sector
  • Experience in negotiating and dealing with suppliers
  • Be passionate about the food retail industry
  • Common sense, pragmatic, logical and quick thinking are all the words people would use to describe you
  • An individual who demonstrates initiative, possesses an entrepreneurial mindset, and exhibits proficient negotiation abilities
  • Exude presence, demonstrate confidence, and hold firm belief in your ideas
  • Possession of a full UK driving licence
  • Already live - or happy to relocate to within a one-hour commute of Lidl, Motherwell Distribution Centre
  • German language skills desirable but not essential

What you'll receive
  • 35 days holiday (pro rata)
  • 10% in-store discount
  • Enhanced family leave
  • Pension scheme
  • Plus, more of the perks you deserve
We value diversity, equity, and inclusion, welcoming applicants from all backgrounds.

Join us to celebrate individuality and grow in a fair, respectful, and inclusive environment

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date. This is to ensure our teams can manage application levels while maintaining a positive candidate experience.

Once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications, so please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment

If you’re ready to get stuck in, want to get more out of your career and make a real difference, find your place at Lidl and apply now.
  • includes 10% non-contractual London Weighting allowance
Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...