Frontshop Commodities Buyer with 3 years procurement/buying experience in FMCG and pharmaceutical products needed for national wholesaler and distribution giant based in Florida/Roodepoort Area. Must have knowledge of wholesale and distribution.

Job Purpose:
Responsible for the procurement of pharmaceutical products and FMCG products, contributing to the profitability of the company through building strong supplier relationships, a profitable product range at competitive prices. Efficient procurement, expediting, storage, assembly and distribution of products.

Timeous expediting of orders from suppliers, active engagement with operations and other departments on stock issues, manage short dated stock and providing assistance on stock related issues to ensure that strong customer relationships are maintained

Managing the buying aspect of customer and consumer promotions so that the company is the wholesaler of choice.

Experience and Education:
• 3 – 5 years frontshop buying experience
• Wholesale and Distribution knowledge
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical industry

Job related knowledge and skills:
• Computer literacy (advanced excel)
• Knowledge of forecasting and buying systems
• Advance Excel skills
• Data Accuracy
• High Attention to detail


Key Performance Areas:
Responsible for the procurement and replenishment of stock through:
• Placing of orders by Supplier based on forecasts through the Just Enough ordering system
• Following up on outstanding orders
• Cancelling of completed orders
• Answering of buyers disputes
• Dealing with Suppliers around aged stock, expired, short dated and overstocks, ensuring such is taken back
• Managing order deliveries
• Managing out of stocks with Suppliers, updating out of stock schedule for reporting purposes
• Responsible for ensuring the maximum quantity of stock received versus ordered
• Managing Supplier lead times, reporting on lead time accuracy
• Actively engage with operations and other department to resolve supply issues quickly and efficient
• Document agreements reached with Suppliers
• Monitoring daily regrets and resolving further regrets by placing orders, expediting outstanding orders and ensuring that GRN’d stock is released
• Providing administrative support timeously and accurately
• Margin management in conjunction with the supplier admin department
• Identify and solve pricing and margin variances, deal with systems and customer queries to ensure optimum category performance
• Achievement of margin target

Compile and produce reports:
• Customer In Fill
• Regrets
• Supplier In fill
• Stock availability
• Potential problem products bought in for key customers
• Reduction of stock write offs
• Report on stock holding to ensure it is within budgeted stockholding days

Develop and maintain strong relationship with regional suppliers to develop the company’s profile as a preferred service partner/channel, and drive improvement in quality, costs and delivery

Evaluate and measure supplier performance in accordance with the standards implemented by the Company and make recommendations on improving supplier performance standards

Consider the potential supply risks from the supply base and proactively remove or minimise those risks

Monitor manufacturing and pharmaceutical and FMCG trends to ensure the company’s supply base can satisfy these ever-changing requirements