Head of Buying Chilled & Frozen

At Company Shop Group, we're passionate about unlocking the value in surplus and creating sustainable solutions that benefit our partners, communities and the environment. We're looking for an experienced Head of Buying to lead our Chilled & Frozen category and play a key role in delivering our ambitious growth plans.

This is a high-impact leadership role where you'll be responsible for driving sourcing strategy, category performance and supplier partnerships, ensuring surplus remains the primary route to market. If you're a commercially driven leader with strong chilled sector experience and a passion for building relationships, we'd love to hear from you.

About Us

Company Shop Group (part of Biffa Waste) is the largest commercial redistributor of surplus food and household products in the UK, enabling some of the biggest retailers, manufacturers, food service and logistics providers to unlock value from surplus stock which may otherwise go to waste.

The surplus we handle is redistributed through our Company Shop stores and our award-winning social enterprise Community Shop, where we help build stronger individuals and more confident communities. Working alongside our partners, we deliver an incredible social and environmental impact, and we're proud to be a good business doing good.

About the Role

Reporting into the senior commercial leadership team, you'll take ownership of our Chilled & Frozen category, developing sourcing strategies that drive sustainable growth, maximise surplus opportunities and support the long-term success of the business.

You'll lead a team of commercial professionals whilst building strategic supplier partnerships, identifying new opportunities and delivering category performance across sales, margin and profitability.

A key focus of this role is identifying how surplus is generated within manufacturing environments and creating commercial solutions that unlock additional surplus opportunities. We're particularly interested in speaking with candidates who understand this space and can leverage their sector knowledge and networks to drive growth.

What You'll Be Doing

• Developing and delivering sourcing strategies that maximise surplus opportunities and support business growth.
• Building and maintaining strategic relationships with suppliers across the chilled and frozen sectors.
• Converting traditional buying activity into sustainable surplus agreements.
• Driving category sales, margin and profitability through effective commercial decision-making.
• Taking ownership of pricing, stock efficiency, markdowns and waste performance.
• Delivering category plans aligned to the Company's long-term growth strategy.
• Working collaboratively with internal stakeholders to execute commercial plans and drive category performance.
• Leading, coaching and developing a high-performing team.
• Visiting stores and Operations to understand and collaborate across the wider organisation to support and drive key KPI’s across sales and margin.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a commercially astute leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and has a passion for building successful supplier partnerships.

You'll ideally have:

• Significant experience within the Chilled category, with Frozen exposure advantageous but not essential.
• A background in buying, procurement or food manufacturing.
• A strong understanding of how surplus is generated within manufacturing environments and how to unlock commercial opportunities from it.
• An established network of contacts within the chilled food sector.
• Proven experience leading commercial, category management, buying or trading teams.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop and inspire high-performing teams.
• Excellent commercial and analytical capability with confidence making data-driven decisions.
• Outstanding relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.

What's In It for You?

• Competitive salary plus excellent benefits.
• The opportunity to shape and influence a strategically important category.
• The chance to work with some of the UK's leading food manufacturers and suppliers.
• A collaborative and purpose-led culture where your contribution makes a real difference.
• Comprehensive benefits package including pension, wellbeing support and colleague discounts.
• The opportunity to be part of a business committed to reducing waste and creating positive social impact.

• Free membership to Company Shop for you and 10 x nominees
• Annual Flu Injections, high street & leisure vouchers, and on-site Parking
• Onsite café, Free Tea & Coffee, and Free Fruit Friday
• Employee Assistance Programme – Grocery Aid
• Eligible for Costco membership and Cycle 2 Work scheme
• Contributory pension scheme with a comprehensive benefits package including life cover and wellbeing support.

Hybrid role: Minimum of 3 days based onsite and 2 days working from home.

Location: Company Shop Head Office, Wentworth Industrial Park 1-4 Wentworth Way, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 3DH

Hours:08:30am-5:00pm Monday-Friday

Why join us?

You'll become part of a supportive team where your contribution is valued and where you'll have the opportunity to develop your skills within a growing and dynamic organisation.

If you're looking for a role where attention to detail, teamwork and organisation are key to success, we'd love to hear from you.