Econo Foods is a South African food distributor and retailer specializing in frozen and chilled foods, groceries, and fresh produce. It has both retail stores for the public and a wholesale food service division that supplies the hospitality and food service industry. The company was founded in 1996.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• The purpose of the Fish Buyer – Groceries is to provide & maintain a sustainable base of strategic suppliers to ensure we are committed to Econofoods participation in the Fish Category.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic direction in the selection, management, communications, and ongoing relationship management of suppliers within the Fish Category.
• Strategic direction in the identification of consumer trends and resultant range management and innovation of products for our Fish Category
• Ensure compliance with Government regulations regarding quality standards and labelling disclosure and Food Safety Certification.
• Source, manage and develop a national supply base of suppliers meeting specified criteria
• Manage GP expectations in accordance with budgets
• Manage the Category within the Stock Days Governance Manual
• Maintaining the Private label Brand Identity, nationally with assistance of the Marketing department teams, ensuring their compliance & execution.
• Align the Category Strategy Across Marketing, Sales, Distribution Centres and Retail.
• Management of the annual trading terms for each supplier, to be done timeously and with the Econofoods business interests in mind
• Provide merchandising flows by format and by Cluster
• Maintain the category Data Integrity in accordance to the Hierarchy

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE AREAS

• Monthly & quarterly business health checks to be done
• Supplier Management to be ongoing with strategic quarterly reviews done with larger suppliers
• Working closely with the regional divisional retail & sales managers, for their assistance in relevant NPD requirements
• Weekly/Daily communication with suppliers with regards to rejections / complaints
• Manage supply base on DIFOT Reports
• Responsible for the reviewing of Supplier Agreements, in conjunction with the National procurement Manager
• Accountable for product quality, availability and inbound service levels
• Manage and guide the direct supply base.
• Product availability discussions with suppliers for promotional activations
• Accountable for achieving set growth targets.
• Accountable for Achieving set GP% Targets
• Management & direction on category flows & Planograms Implementation into the Econofoods Retail stores.
• Interaction and collaboration with national Retail Operations teams to ensure retail leadership and collaboration, executing strategy to maximize sales, market share gains, market segmentation and profitability
• Weekly update meetings with Planning and Buying Teams.
• Accurate stock planning particularly relevant during promotional and peak periods.
• Ordering patterns/co-loading/warehousing and Buying optimization working alongside the Supply Chain Manager and department buyers and planners.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Matric certificate or equivalent qualification.
• Diploma or Degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Economics, or a related field (advantageous).
• Proven 5+ years of experience in procurement, supply chain, or related field.
• Preference will be given for store operations, category knowledge in Fish/Seafood and Groceries, buying, and/or category management will be an advantage.
• Problem-Solving Abilities: Ability to identify challenges and develop practical solutions to address them.
• Interpersonal Skills: Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Attention to Detail: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Building and maintaining relationships with strong interpersonal skills – living out the company values and unique HO HOLA culture.
• Friendly, helpful, confident yet humble, and able to work well in a team.
• Ability to work in a highly competitive, fast past and dynamic environment.
• Ability to communicate fluently in English (written and verbal).
• Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft.
• Strong communication skills.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.