Robinson & Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd Hiring for Food Buying Manager | M&S at Dubai Full Time

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Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. 

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview of the role:

This role is responsible for delivering both the product range buying plan, the pricing and promotional strategy. The role is accountable for achieving budgeted KPI’s of sales, gross and net margin, COR, and waste in line with the approved business plan. The position leads the food buying & merchandising team to forecast, order and allocate product in line with the overall business strategy and food growth plan from source through to store, ensuring optimal product availability to achieve KPI’s.

This position works collaboratively with the wider functional brand teams: Logistics & Registration, Retail Operations team and stores to ensure alignment on delivery of the food plan, trading priorities, space utilization, new store openings and implementing new initiatives.

Maintains functional relationships to ensure alignment on delivery of the food plan, including M&S UK food commercial and technical teams.

What you will do:-

Description of Accountability:

• Budgeted food KPI’s achieved – Food sales budget agreed and delivered
• Waste, COR, gross & net margin controlled to achieve agreed budget
• Business profit delivered to budget

Commercial Planning and Product Strategy

• Pricing and promotions strategy implemented with ongoing review mechanism in place
• Consistent delivery of newness achieved though effective forward range planning
• Seasonal events accurately planned including attendance at UK buying fairs
• Consistent product availability achieved through accurate forward planning
• Store catalogues clearly defined by space, location, and profile
• Improved core product choice achieved through profitable range development
• Seasonal range growth achieved through market specific NPD
• Growth in hospitality achieved though profitable menu development
• Consistent store layouts achieved through deployment of store range & space matrix
• Detailed knowledge of range, the market, and key competitors demonstrated through agreed strategic priorities
• Supply chain costs optimised through controlled inventory management
• Fully compliant food operation to ensure legal and brand policies are met
• Strategically aligned marketing campaigns delivered though close collaboration with marketing function

People

• Improved staff engagement scores delivered through a motivated and high performing food buying team
• Strong internal relationships with key functional leaders & stakeholders
• Solid relationships with UK Food and franchise teams
• Trust built with UK technical team to overcome market specific restrictions and unlock growth opportunities
• Engaged store colleagues kept informed though effective communication channels

Growth

• Exploit all opportunities to drive food sales in a customer focused, cost effective and efficient way
• New stores & markets successfully launched in collaboration with retail function
• Profitable new selling channels evaluated and deployed
• Digital concepts to improve efficiency trialled
• Supply chain efficiency achieved through close collaboration with logistics function
• New systems & processes successfully deployed though active involvement in testing and rollout

Required Skills to be successful:-

• A proven track record in retail food operations. With a wide network of contacts and an understanding of consumers’ behaviors and needs.
• Able to analyze complex data and make accurate and timely decisions
• An understanding of the key financial and commercial levers in retail management
• Excellent interpersonal & leadership skills
• Outgoing, positive, willing to take challenges and work under pressure
• A results-driven personality who values teamwork as an integral part of getting great results
• Connects with our customer and each other by being positive, determined, respectful and taking ownership & responsibility to actively sell.
• Ability to lead people in a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural environment,
• Excellent communication and customer service skills,
• Decision making, planning and stake holder management skills.

What equips you for the role:

• Bachelor Degree/ or equivalent qualification ideally related to retail/ food (Masters Preferred)
• 7-10 years’ experience in a food buying function with a sizeable retailer
• Extensive technical knowledge and related certifications for Food and Hygiene.
• Experience leading a team in the buying function
• Proven ability to achieve goals.
• Thinking and Analytical Skills.
• Business Acumen
• Leadership Skills and Strategic Thinking
• Excellent relationship skills
• Accountability

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.
 
Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference…