Senior Procurement Manager

What is THIS?

THIS is a high-growth, VC-backed emerging leader in producing plant-based food. Meat-alternatives, to be exact. In fact if we’re being reallllly exact – our products are at the leading-edge of the plant-based sector in terms of taste, texture and appearance. Here’s our insta, for a quick stalk - https://www.instagram.com/this.uk

It’s worth mentioning that since our launch in June 2019, the company has experienced extremely significant growth in revenue – 188% in the last year. We have strong aspirations to continue this growth trajectory as we aim to be the no.1 plant based brand in the UK and beyond and we believe we have the team (50 plus and growing) and investment to do achieve this.

Why are we doing THIS?

We’re Andy and Pete - co-founders of THIS. Our last job entailed selling tonnes (literally tonnes) of meat. Then we felt bad. Also, we felt like meat-alternatives weren't realllllly for people who love the taste of meat. We felt like they were for people who like sandals and socks. So we've basically ended up making THIS for ourselves, but we'd love other meat-lovers to nom nom it too. THIS is a game-changer.

At our core, we believe:

• Stereotypes around plant-based food need to be bulldozed

• Guilt-trips don’t make people hungry

• Plant-based food should mean zero-compromise - this is how we can recruit more meat reducers to the category

What’s with this role?

The successful candidate will join the company's Procurement function, reporting to the Head of Procurement. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team and have a real impact on the business, driving procurement strategy and sourcing raw materials and 3rd party manufacturers which add the greatest value to the business.

What will you be getting up to?

• Support, create and deliver sourcing strategies for all raw material categories to deliver cost savings for the business
• Manage negotiations and commercial agreements with suppliers
• Lead The Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Program, leveraging the supplier base to deliver optimal value to the business in the areas of cost, innovation, quality, ESG and service
• Work collaboratively with the Innovation and Science Teams to delivering market leading products by scouting and sourcing new raw materials, packaging and 3rd party manufacturers
• Responsible for developing and maintaining key stakeholder relationships
• Develop, negotiate and execute supplier contracts with the support of the Head of Procurement and legal counsel
• Maintain, develop and be an advocate of procurement governance and structure including metrics, KPI’s and ways of working
• Support the Operations Team with raw material risks and supply security

Hello… Is it you we’re looking for...

• A Procurement Manager (or similar) with 5 or more years experience, ideally in raw materials and in an FMCG environment
• We need someone with a deep, end-to-end understanding of the supply chain and how to source raw materials and packaging that add the most value to the business
• Someone with knowledge and experience in strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, stakeholder engagement and negotiation
• A self-starter who can succeed when working independently, but can also collaborate seamlessly across our business
• A HUSTLER. This person will need to get sh*t done in a major way and knock through what will seem like brick walls. We are leading the category in terms of product, and for us to stay there you will need to have a relentlessness that isn’t in everybody
• Positive attitude, proactivity and a tenacious character: things in our business can change very quickly, so being comfortable reacting quickly to unexpected opportunities and challenges is super important too!
• Ability and interest to work cross-functionally, we’re a small team and believe that strong collaboration will take us further than working in silos
• Honesty and integrity - a conviction in your work to improve your small patch of the world for yourself and for others
• We don’t take ourselves seriously and we laugh at the most silly, stupid things… So you don’t need to be a stand-up comedian but having a sense of humour is defo necessary
• Team player: we’re colleagues but also mates (unless we're playing table tennis)

Other stuff 

As a fast growing business, everyone who joins us needs to be ready to roll up their sleeves and carry out tasks away from their core focus because - they just need to get done. That could be helping to prepare samples for a customer meeting, trying new products and giving tasting notes, packing cold bags into boxes or a lot of other random stuff that comes up. They're not always the most glamorous jobs, but from the founders down, the whole team gets involved!

From our side

• A competitive salary that fairly recognises your experience and potential.

• We are offering share-options in our company to everyone who joins us at this early stage

• 25 days paid holiday plus bank-holidays – we care about our team’s wellbeing, so we make sure you have time to fully switch off, rest, and recharge.

• Flexible working hours – We're not a 9-5. No-one will tap their watch if you prefer to start late and finish late because you like to go to the gym before work. Our focus is on your ability to deliver for the business, not your ability to keep strict working hours.

• You’ll have a £500 wellness allowance every year (pro-rata) to spend on things that will improve your physical and mental wellness like gym memberships, fitness classes, counselling, dentistry, physio, meditation apps and more.

• To further support mental health, the company pays for Spill, a mental health wellness provider that gives everyone access to qualified therapists and mental health resources.

• A values-led working environment that encourages putting people first, honesty, curiosity and leadership.

The chance to have a meaningful impact

As a relatively small, albeit growing, team you'll be exposed to - and have the chance to contribute towards - challenges and projects at all levels and in all areas of the business. A good idea is a good idea, regardless of the experience or seniority of who came up with it.

We'd love to hear from you, so feel free to apply with your CV and cover letter and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!