Manager Cheshire Oaks jobs in Liverpool

• Role Purpose

Meadow Foods are seeking a confident and proactive Commodity Manager to take dedicated ownership of Meadow Foods’ commodity sourcing strategy. The role will combine strategic sourcing, supplier negotiation, market intelligence and risk management to mitigate inflation, identify cost and margin opportunities, and improve the quality and speed of commercial decision-making.

The Commodity portfolio includes: Sugar and Sweeteners, Cocoa and Chocolate, Fats & Oils, Fruit, Dairy Powders, Egg, and Starches

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain evidence-based sourcing and category strategies for Meadow Foods commodity portfolio.
• Build clear short, medium and long-term sourcing positions, including timing, contracting approach, supplier mix and risk exposure.
• Lead projects that improve cost, resilience, specification, sustainability or service.
• Monitor commodity markets, crop and yield outlooks, weather, global supply and demand, geopolitical developments and foreign exchange movements.
• Produce regular, concise market reports and Group updates, translating external movements into cost, inflation, deflation and margin implications.
• Provide forward-looking insight to support customer pricing discussions, budgeting, forecasting and commercial decision-making.
• Lead competitive sourcing, tendering and supplier negotiations across the commodity portfolio.
• Develop effective supplier relationships, performance governance and contingency options.
• Maintain visibility of commodity exposure, contract coverage and upcoming pricing decisions.
• Develop and execute inflation mitigation, cost avoidance and margin retention plans.
• Escalate material market, supply, service or financial risks with clear options and recommended actions.
• Own accurate purchase agreements within agreed procurement processes and systems.
• Maintain category reporting, forecasts, benefits tracking, contract coverage and decision logs.

Essential Criteria

• Significant strategic procurement or commodity management experience in food manufacturing, ingredients, FMCG or a comparably volatile commodity environment.
• Strong understanding of commodity market drivers and the ability to convert market data into practical sourcing and commercial recommendations.
• Evidence of leading complex supplier negotiations, tenders and category strategies across material spend.
• Strong commercial and numerical capability, including total-cost analysis, price forecasting, benefits validation and risk-based decision-making.
• Experience of purchase agreements, contract governance, supplier performance and category reporting.
• Clear, credible communication skills, with the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and explain complex markets simply.
• Strong organisational discipline and the ability to own multiple categories, decisions and deadlines in a changing environment.
• Ability to support other business functions such as commercial and NPD with market insight reports and quotations.

Desirable Criteria

• Direct experience of sugar, sweeteners, cocoa, chocolate, fats, oils, dairy, egg, fruit or starch markets.
• Experience working with ERP-enabled systems, ideally Microsoft Dynamics 365.
• Relevant procurement qualification, such as CIPS, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience supporting customer pricing, sales or commercial teams with commodity market insight.
• Experience of responsible sourcing, sustainability or supply-chain due-diligence requirements within food ingredients.

Personal Characteristics

• Commercially curious and proactive, with a strong external market orientation.
• Calm and evidence-led when markets are volatile or information is incomplete.
• Accountable and delivery-focused, with the confidence to make recommendations and follow through.
• Collaborative and pragmatic, balancing procurement value with operational continuity, quality and customer needs.
• Able to challenge constructively and communicate with clarity, pace and integrity.

Please note applications are being reviewed while this role is advertised and may close earlier if a high number of applications are received.

INDHP

Pay: £60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Free flu jabs
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Referral programme
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person