Careers at Forrest

Head Office Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Careers at London Depot, Romford
Forrest Team of 70+ and growing!

At Forrest Fresh Foods, our people are what set us apart

We’re a proud, family-run business turning over in excess of £86m+ a year. Our success is definitely down to our people. Without whom, we wouldn’t be successful. Our whole ethos is hard work, honesty, reliability, and transparency. Yes, our business has family at the helm, but without our colleagues, we wouldn’t be able to fulfil our promises to our customers who, over the years, have come to rely on us as their business partner.

We have some exciting career opportunities available for ambitious people who are as passionate as we are about delivering a great experience for our customers. At Forrest Fresh Foods we offer competitive salaries, generous bonus packages, plus excellent career progression and development.

View some of our current job vacancies below and apply to join an award winning team!

Current Vacancies

Senior Buyer: Snacking

Are you an experienced buyer? Can you:

Manage multiple categories?
Negotiate best in market pricing?
Devise a strategy to deliver category growth?

Role Overview:

Manage a portfolio of ~£20M purchases per annum across multiple categories and suppliers
Manage a small team to deliver category growth objectives
Define the category strategy, range, price & promotional strategy for your & your team’s categories
Sourcing the best deals in the market by leveraging your network
Agree JBPs, Trading Terms & marketing activities with Manufacturers/Suppliers
Proactively manage Supplier/rturer payments & payment terms to optimise cash flow
Proactively manage orders, delivery & transport to optimise profitability
Develop relationships with suppliers and manufacturers
Open new accounts with major suppliers

Skills Required

Essential:

Experienced Senior Buyer, with multiple category responsibility
Excellent command of Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot tables, SUMIF etc)
Excellent communication & presentation skills
Excellent attention to detail
Problem solving mentality
Excellent numerical skills & ability to analyse data
Ability to multi-task at pace
Previous P&L responsibility
In depth knowledge of FMCG industry & convenience categories e.g. Soft Drinks, Confectionery, Snacks
Previous experience of buying/selling in a wholesale environment

Desired:

Degree Educated
Coaching Skills
People Management
Experience working with Microsoft Business Central ERP
Grey trading experience

What we offer

Competitive Salary
Generous Bonus Package
Flexibility to work from home 2 days/week
Staff Discount
Career Progression & Development
Fun, friendly working environment

Apply today: Email your CV to ffion@forrestfoods.com

Buying Assistant: Grocery & Non-Food

Are you looking to start your career in buying?

Have you got great analytical skills?
Do you like building relationships?
Are you detail oriented?

Role Overview

Support the efficient running of the buying team with internal reporting; tracking the team’s performance vs: KPIs, Stock availability, stock risk, JBPs & supplier retros.
Co-Ordinate the implementation of JBPs & marketing activities with Manufactures/Suppliers & the Team.
Proactively manage Supplier/Manufacturer payments & chase aged debt; liaising with Credit Control as relevant.
Perform comp shops for your category and advise the Category Buyer of any outliers
Manage re-order levels and stockholding by depot and SKU in the system to keep stockholding within agreed targets
In conjunction with the Senior Buyers & Buyers, manage relationships with Suppliers & Manufacturers to ensure campaigns are successfully delivered, commercial opportunities are identified, and sales are optimised by sourcing the best deals in the market.

Role Responsibilities:

Placing Purchase Orders with suppliers
Setting up and maintaining products on our ERP system
Ensuring master data from suppliers is accurate & up to date in the system
Running & monitoring all key reports for the buying team

Skills Required

Good command of Microsoft Excel
Good communication skills
Attention to detail
Problem solving mentality
Strong numerical skills & ability to analyse data
Ability to multi-task at pace

What we offer

Competitive Salary
Eligible for company bonus
Staff Discount
Career Progression & Development

Apply today: Email your CV to ffion@forrestfoods.com

Purchasing Team Assistant: Snacking

Are you looking to start your career in buying?

Have you got great analytical skills?
Are you organised and methodical?
Are you detail oriented?

Role Overview

Support the efficient running of the buying team by setting up and maintaining up to date product information in the system
Update and maintain Supplier cost prices in the system
Update and maintain Supplier information in the system (MOQ, lead time, contacts, Invoice Price List)
Ensure excellent execution of products on the website (no missing images, customer friendly products descriptions, no missing information)

Role Responsibilities:

Setting up and maintaining products on our ERP system
Ensuring master data from suppliers is accurate & up to date in the system
Maintaining price files in the system
Adhoc reporting
Answering office phones and receiving office visitors
Other duties as required

Skills Required

Good command of Microsoft Excel
Good communication skills
Attention to detail
Problem solving mentality
Strong numerical skills & ability to analyse data
Ability to multi-task at pace

What we offer

Competitive Salary
Staff Discount
Career Progression & Development

Apply today: Email your CV to ffion@forrestfoods.com

What the team say

Some of our best and brightest share their views on what it's like to join team Forrest!

Stacey - Soft Drinks Buyer

"Working at Forrest has given me the opportunity to really get stuck in and be involved in a wide variety of tasks. No two days are the same and there’s always the chance to learn new skills, take on fresh challenges and contribute in meaningful ways."

Georgia - Confectionery Buyer

"Forrest has given me the autonomy to challenge myself and hone my skills within a fast paced, ever evolving buying environment. A great company with ample opportunities for career development!"

Connor - Marketing & E-Commerce Manager

"Working at Forrest has given me the opportunity to lead exciting projects, develop new skills and take on real responsibility. I've been encouraged to share ideas, challenge myself and make a meaningful contribution to the growth of the business."

Rich - Head of Marketing

"Working at Forrest has enabled me to lead on lots of exciting and fast paced projects, allowed me to build out a great team and move the marketing function forward towards being the best in class. No two days are the same and the company rewards those with a can do, results driven attitude. A good place to work with plenty of growth and development opportunities."