Trading Manager, Waitrose Commercial

Review: Trading Manager, Waitrose & Partners Buying Team

Waitrose & Partners is offering a compelling opportunity for an experienced professional to join their esteemed Buying team as a Trading Manager. This role presents a unique chance to shape the commercial success of product categories within a renowned retail organization that prioritizes customer focus, supplier relationships, and ethical practices. If you're looking to advance your career in a dynamic and values-driven environment, this position warrants careful consideration.

Advantages for Potential Candidates:

• Impactful Role: As a Trading Manager, you will be at the forefront of driving sales and profit targets across all channels, directly influencing the commercial performance of significant product categories. Your strategic decisions will have a tangible impact on the business.
• Leadership and Development: This role offers the chance to lead and coach a team of approximately seven Buyers. This is an excellent platform to hone your people management skills, foster talent, and contribute to the development of future leaders within the organization.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: You will have the opportunity to collaborate with a wide array of internal departments, including Own Brand, Merchandising Operations, Commercial Finance, and Category Management. This exposure will broaden your understanding of the retail landscape and enhance your strategic thinking.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Building and maintaining strong relationships with suppliers is a core aspect of this role. This provides valuable experience in negotiation, influencing, and partnership development within the supply chain.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Waitrose & Partners' unwavering dedication to its customers is a defining characteristic. This role offers the chance to embed a customer-first mindset into all commercial decisions, aligning with a purpose-driven organization.
• Hybrid Working Flexibility: The Partnership's adoption of a hybrid working model, with an aim for approximately three days a week in the office, offers a healthy balance between in-person collaboration and personal flexibility, catering to diverse working needs.
• Career Progression: The description explicitly highlights extensive exposure across the business, providing excellent opportunities for career growth and future progression within Waitrose & Partners and the wider John Lewis Partnership.
• Competitive Compensation: The offered salary range of £75,700.00 - £121,000.00 reflects the seniority and strategic importance of this role.
• Employee Ownership: As part of the UK's largest employee-owned business, you'll have the unique benefit of being a Partner, sharing in the rewards and successes of the organization. This fosters a strong sense of belonging and shared purpose.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• Commercial Acumen: A strong track record of delivering results in a commercial environment, ideally at a Trading Manager or Buyer level, is essential. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their ability to drive sales and profit.
• Strategic Planning and Execution: The role requires the ability to create and deliver strategic plans, including budget forecasting. Candidates should have a proven ability to translate objectives into actionable plans.
• Negotiation and Influencing Skills: Given the extensive supplier and stakeholder interactions, exceptional negotiation and influencing skills are paramount. Experience with commercial negotiations and potentially specific approaches like the GAP method would be beneficial.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A rigorous approach to data analysis and insight generation is crucial. Candidates should be comfortable leveraging multiple data points to inform strategic decisions and demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset.
• Leadership Experience: Leading and coaching a team is a key responsibility. Candidates with demonstrable experience in people management and development will be well-suited for this position.
• Adaptability in a Fast-Paced Environment: The retail sector is dynamic. The ability to navigate a fast-paced and changing environment, while maintaining high standards of delivery, is vital.
• Understanding of the Partnership Model: Familiarity with or an eagerness to embrace the unique employee ownership model of the John Lewis Partnership will be advantageous, as it underpins the organization's culture and values.

This Trading Manager position at Waitrose & Partners is more than just a job; it's an invitation to become part of a distinctive organization with a strong ethical compass and a commitment to excellence. For ambitious professionals seeking a leadership role with significant scope for impact and personal development within a values-led business, this opportunity is exceptionally promising.