Purchasing Officer Needed

Korea Foods Company Limited

• Position: Purchasing Officer

• Salary: £25,000 - £35,000 annually, dependent on experience

• Location: New Malden, Surrey

• Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

About Us

Established in 1999, Korea Foods has grown to emerge as the country's leading importer of Korean Foods with a distribution network covering the entire UK.

We pride ourselves on innovation and are constantly seeking new opportunities to grow and expand into emerging markets that bridge eastern and western cultures through cuisine.

We carry Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and other oriental food products through our wholesale and retail channels. We import directly from suppliers in the Far East including Korea, Japan, Thailand and the USA.

The Role

We are now looking to expand our dynamic Purchasing Department with the addition of a ‘Purchasing Officer’, specialising in Chinese products.

The Purchasing Officer will be responsible for ensuring that Korea Foods Company Limited is sector leading through negotiated favourable terms to support budget limitations, quality products, necessary stock levels and maximum ROI.

The Purchasing Officer will analyse and assess the day to day dealings within the Purchasing Department to ensure that all Chinese suppliers and vendors are working within the terms of agreements and product flows are maintained whilst monitoring the market for any trends or areas for potential business growth. 

The Purchasing Officers will be responsible for maintaining all necessary records and reports whilst ensuring that our Chinese supplier relationships and transactions are in line with our company vision, mission and core values. 

Your main duties will be;

·         Negotiate appropriate contracts for pricing and supply of goods and product specifications;

·         Attend trade fairs, shows and demonstrations to keep abreast of all sector/ market movements and trends, identifying any area for potential growth, checking product quality and supplier catalogues;

·         Research new items and potential suppliers, analysing any bids or tenders and negotiating prices whilst comparing product quality;

·         Conduct ongoing reviews of purchasing agreements with vendors to ensure the business is achieving maximum ROI;

·         Create and maintain goods relationships with any and all vendors/ suppliers;

·         Assess supply networks, ensuring that the Company’s purchasing needs are met, presenting any new supply routes to the Senior Management team;

·         Assess budgetary limitations against stock requirements and sales forecasts, to decide on the number/frequency of goods ordered;

·         Work with the Sales and Inventory to monitor stock levels, sales forecasts and promotional plans to build the purchasing plan;

·         Ensure that items received comply with the ordered item(s) specification(s) and reporting any issues to the vendor(s);

·         Liaise with relevant shipping agents for the correct importation documents, shipment scheduling, freight costs, port clearances and any other importation related issues;

·         Track incoming inventory, reporting updates to the relevant internal departments and ensuring that the Warehouse Receiving team are aware and prepared for the items;

·         Organise and maintain the database of suppliers and products with any significant information;

·         Maintain all purchasing records; prepare reports for the Senior Management and Trading Director for the P&L, on a routine basis and on an ad-hoc basis;

·         Maintain strong relationships internally to ensure communications between departments are optimised and supporting the greater business strategies;

·         Enter order details into the internal databases PO and AP systems, ensuring that there are no internal payment delays;

·         Authorising payments for goods received according to delivery records;

·         Preparing the right bidding plan for Duty Free Rice license (RPA relate) per every quarter.

Please see the full Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Expertise

·         Chinese language skills are essential for this role;

·         Solid knowledge and understanding of purchasing processes, policy, and systems;

·         Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite and SAP;

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to negotiate, establish, and process contracts;

·         Able to work to deadlines and prioritise workload according to given timescales with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail;

·         Good knowledge of vendor sourcing practices (researching, evaluating and liaising with vendors);

·         Solid analytical skills, with the ability to create financial reports and conduct cost analyses;

·         Knowledge of Chinese culture, especially food would be beneficial.

The Package

The role of Purchasing Officer comes with the following benefits;

·         You will receive a salary of £25,000 - £35,000 annually, with regular salary reviews;

·         Discretionary bonuses for length of service and performance;

·         Enrolment to the Company Pension Scheme, with contributions of 8% annually;

·         You will have 20 days of paid annual holiday, with one paid day off on your birthday;

·         Free onsite parking;

·         Employee discounts of 5% in all our stores.

If you are interested in applying, please forward a copy of your CV to HR@koreafoods.co.uk