Category Management - Category Buyer

Job description

This is a great opportunity to work for the UK’s leading veterinary wholesaler. Our business provides a next day supply and distribution service through our nationwide network of distribution depots, serving an average of 2750 customers every day. Working for us you'll receive: • Competitive rates of pay • 33 days paid holiday (including bank holidays) (Pro rata) • Staff discounts • Life assurance benefit • Cycle to work Scheme • Free on-site parking and Wi-Fi • A 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme – offering a range of support services to help you to resolve difficulties in your home-life • Christmas vouchers • Eye-sight vouchers • Company pension scheme General working hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm NATIONAL VETERINARY SERVICES LIMITED JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Category Buyer Reports to: Category Manager Position Band: D Business unit: Purchasing Prepared by: Malcolm Dickinson Date: 16.04.2026 Main purpose of the role Work in partnership with the Category team to deliver the category P&L, ensuring that sourcing decisions directly support margin, cost, and growth targets, including achieving annual cost price reductions through strategic sourcing, negotiation, and supplier development. Key Responsibilities C Delivering Category and Commercial Performance • Work in partnership with the Category team to deliver the category P&L, ensuring that sourcing decisions directly support margin, cost, and growth targets. • Translate product specifications, volume forecasts, and price requirements from the Category team into commercially viable sourcing strategies across domestic and international markets. • Drive year on year cost price reductions through proactive negotiation, supplier optimisation, and continuous cost improvement initiatives. • Provide regular performance reporting, analysing progress against KPIs and identifying corrective actions where targets are at risk. Global Sourcing and Supplier Management • Source products from the most competitive global suppliers, including overseas manufacturers, ensuring best in market cost prices while meeting required quality, service and compliance standards. Work in-conjunction with Global Sourcing strategies with Patterson as appropriate. • Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to secure favourable commercial terms, negotiate cost reductions, mitigate risk and identify opportunities for product differentiation and exclusivity. • Negotiate and manage all supplier agreements including contracts, SLA, NDAs in line with business processes and requirements • Develop new supplier pipelines—both UK and international—to support innovation, own brand development, and long term category growth. • Attend relevant trade shows and supplier visits to identify emerging products, new sourcing territories, and cost saving opportunities. Importing, Logistics, and Stock Flow • Work with the appropriate business teams to manage end to end importing processes from any territory, ensuring compliance with customs, duty, and regulatory requirements. • Work closely with Material Planners to ensure accurate forecasting, timely ordering and effective stock flow, balancing availability with financial and working capital objectives. • With the planning team, monitor supplier lead times, production schedules, and shipping timelines, expediting orders where necessary to maintain optimum stock levels. Market Insight • Maintain a good understanding of the veterinary and adjacent markets, including competitor activity, pricing trends, and emerging sourcing regions in order to make informed decisions. • Cross Functional Collaboration • Share insights, supplier intelligence, and sourcing opportunities across the business to support collaborative decision making and continuous improvement. Additional Responsibilities • Support the Head of Product Management with ad hoc tasks that contribute to the effective running of the department. • Uphold strong internal communication and documentation standards to ensure transparency and alignment across teams. • Deputise for the Head of Product Management as required to ensure that the Category Team are represented as appropriate. Personal attributes: Qualifications, experience, skills, knowledge and competencies required to fulfil the role Essential • CIPS Level 4 qualification or equivalent experience (5+ years in a senior procurement role) • Strong influencing and negotiation skills • In depth knowledge and experience in direct/production procurement from different markets • Previous buying experience in a relevant role • Exceptional interpersonal skills • Excellent communicator (written & verbal) • Highly customer focussed • Capable of working in a team environment, collaborating with others to meet customers needs whilst achieving targets • Computer literate (Excel, Power Point, Word) • Excellent analytical skills • Commercially minded relationship builder • Highly motivated, results oriented individual • Ability to travel in UK and oversees – hold full UK Driving License Applicants should be aware that in line with our Drugs and Alcohol policy we reserve the right to conduct random drug and alcohol tests. NVS Group is committed to equality of opportunity and this underpins our employment and recruitment procedures. We use objective, job-related criteria when making appointment decisions and our selection criteria is based on skills, experience, qualifications, and an ability to do the job. Due to the large number of applications, we receive, we regret that we will not contact candidates that have not been selected for interview. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks, you should assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. By continuing with your application for employment you are confirming you agree with our Privacy Notice which can be found at