Category Buyer

Our client is looking for an experienced Category Buyer to manage inbound procurement activities and support the replenishment strategy. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring suppliers deliver the right products, in the right quantities, at the right cost and on time. This role focuses on maintaining cost accuracy, managing supplier performance, ensuring promotional readiness, and working closely with the replenishment team to ensure uninterrupted product availability.

The ideal candidate will have strong procurement, supplier management, and commercial skills, with experience in a retail or FMCG environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Issue and manage POs in alignment with Slimstock-generated requirements.
• Validate quantities, pricing, pack sizes and delivery commitments.
• Manage supplier OTIF performance and resolve shortages or discrepancies.
• Ensure promotional readiness and confirm supplier capacity for peak events.
• Maintain accurate cost files, pack size data, lead times and calendars.
• Resolve invoice and GRV discrepancies with Finance.
• Escalate inbound risks early and coordinate with Replenishment and DC Ops.
• Support Merchandising with supplier intelligence and category insights where relevant.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA'S(KPA’S):

• OTIF
• Cost accuracy
• Promo readiness
• Supplier performance trends
• Alignment to replenishment plan

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

REQUIRED:

• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, aligned to the HO HOLA values.
• Friendly, helpful, confident, humble, and team-oriented with strong emotional intelligence.
• Ability to operate in a competitive, high-pressure, dynamic retail environment.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) with the ability to influence and build trust.
• High accuracy, attention to detail, and strong administrative capability.
• Demonstrates integrity, ownership, resilience, and a willingness to go the extra mile.
• Merchandising operations and retail systems proficiency.
• Product, pricing, promotion, and supplier administration.
• Data accuracy, analysis, and reporting.
• Planning, organisation, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Problem solving, ownership, and accountability.
• Strong attention to detail and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Effective communication, relationship building, and team collaboration.
• Customer focus and stakeholder service orientation.

QUALIFICATIONS &

EXPERIENCE:

• Degree or Diploma in Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics or Commerce
• 2–6 years in inbound procurement or retail buying
• Strong Excel and commercial numeracy
• CIPS Level 4+ (Preferred)
• SAPICS Certificate (Preferred)
• Short courses in supplier management or procurement analytics (Preferred)