Buying Manager (Norway)

London Based

An exciting opportunity for an experienced Buying Manager who can lead the strategic buying within our International business - building and creating a strategy to grow WHSmith in Norway, based in our London Support Office.

At WHSmith our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers. The ones that enable our growth. That’s why our Commercial team is passionate about creating an environment where people can be creative and trailblazing to do their best work. The role of Buying Manager is truly cross-functional – you will be right at the centre of the business, leading and driving the commercial agenda. You will have full accountability and an opportunity to shape the future of the business.

What you will do:

• Complete P&L ownership of the budget for your category with a focus on net profitability.
• Budgets for sales/contribution/margin, costs, capex, income.
• Curate the optimum assortment for our customers that delivers on all our commercial targets.
• Generate a continuous pipeline of value creating initiatives to deliver sales and profitability.
• Ownership of annual trade / category plan process. Full involvement in origination and development of ‘3-year-plan' ideas.
• Manage your own category pricing including development of pricing elasticity trials where appropriate.
• Full ownership for department supplier income delivery & responsibility for reporting performance across business. Management of month-end processes.
• Have a long-term supplier strategy in place covering annual deals, payment terms, cost prices, marketing spend and conduct regular grow/hold/decline reviews.
• Review of longer trading outlook (6 months+), mitigation plans to hand (Plan B's), and engagement with wider business on developing trends.
• Managing effective and strong supplier relationships and negotiation.
• Contribute to the annual budget building process.
• Frequent travel between UK and Norway.

The skill you need:

• Experience in European / Norway Buying market.
• You will have strong experience in retail/FMCG purchasing.
• Experienced commercial and negotiation skills.
• Knowledge of account management and experience working with large and small suppliers.
• Outstanding analytical skills and ability to use data for business decisions.
• Persuasive and influential communication skills.
• Remains calm even under stress and pressure, is used to a fast-moving work environment.
• Is a compelling voice of the business and category(s) externally (suppliers, landlords), and internally (stakeholders, stores)
• Desired bilingual ability

Who we are?

Celebrating 230 years, we’re proud to have grown and evolved into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries around the world, and we’re proud to be that air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey, both in life and through life. As a diverse group of over 11,000 colleagues, we are all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people, and the communities we serve.

From the United States to Australia, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, we have c. 600 stores outside of the UK, and we are continuing to grow our international business. Our brand and tailored customer proposition in each location we operate in is synonymous with the travelling experience. Whether it’s hot dogs in Norway, or luxury chocolates in Belgium, our stores look and feel exciting and relevant to each market. With our ambitious global expansion plans, there’s never been a more exciting time to work in our European markets.

What we offer you?

• Hybrid Working Model
• 4pm Friday Finish
• 25 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday
• Family Friendly Leave
• Pension Contribution
• Annual Bonus based on company and personal performance.
• Competitive Salary and Car Allowance
• Private Medical
• Staff Discount Card for stores and online