Senior Packaging Buyer

Location: Kent, Canterbury / site based role Monday to Friday
Salary: 40,000 - 44,589
Type: Full-time, permanent

Ready to take full ownership of a high-value packaging category in a fast-paced FMCG environment?

About the Role
We're recruiting a Senior Buyer - Packaging to take full strategic and operational ownership of a core packaging category, with primary responsibility for a defined packaging category and an annual spend of approximately 4.3m.

This is a hands-on, end-to-end buying role where you'll develop and deliver category strategy, manage supplier relationships, lead tenders, and control day-to-day purchasing activity. You'll play a key role in supporting growth initiatives across the category over the next 12 months.

While there are no direct line management responsibilities, you'll act as a senior figure within the team, providing guidance and informal mentoring to Administrators and Junior Buyers.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the packaging category strategy, balancing cost, availability, risk, and performance.

• Lead supplier negotiations, commercial agreements, and preferred supplier frameworks.

• Run tenders and sourcing initiatives to drive value and resilience.

• Manage market movements, cost pressures, and pricing reviews.

• Oversee day-to-day buying, MRP-driven ordering, and stock control to ensure continuity of supply.

• Maintain supplier scorecards, performance reviews, and continuous improvement plans.

• Support implementation across the category.

• Provide insight-led reporting on spend, performance, and savings.

What You'll Bring

• Proven experience as a Buyer or Senior Buyer within an FMCG or manufacturing environment.

• Strong procurement fundamentals with the ability to operate both strategically and operationally.

• Packaging experience is desirable but not essential - learning agility is key.

• Confident working with performance targets and commercial KPIs.

• Proactive, self-starting mindset with strong analytical capability.

• Comfortable influencing without formal line management responsibility.

Why Apply?
This is a role with genuine ownership, visibility, and impact. You'll manage a critical category, work closely with senior stakeholders, and play a key role in shaping procurement performance in a growing, performance-driven business.

Interested?
If you're a commercially driven buyer ready to step into a senior, high-ownership packaging role, apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation.