Merchandise Manager Bakery/Deli/Cafe

About the role:

As our Merchandise Manager – Bakery/Deli/Cafe, you’ll drive the strategic direction and performance of the categories with a balanced focus on customer needs, commercial outcomes and supplier partnerships to ensure sustained growth.

You'll identify opportunities to improve category performance, optimise promotional activity and deliver innovation solutions that create value for the co-ops stores and customers.

You’ll lead a small team, including a Category Manager, and play a key role in the Merchandise Division’s Fresh Leadership Team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the Bakery/Deli/Cafe category, delivering customer-driven category strategies and supplier partnerships.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, leading commercial negotiations and securing mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Use market insights, customer trends and performance data to identify opportunities and inform decision making.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Monitor and report on category financial performance, ensuring budgets and commercial targets are achieved.
• Partner with stakeholders across the business to deliver category reviews and align procurement, supply chain, and merchandise objectives.

About you:

You’ll be a commercially minded leader who thrives on building relationships, influencing outcomes and turning insights into actions. You have a passion for fresh foods and enjoy balancing that passion with strategic thinking and operational delivery to ensure the category is top-notch for our stores and customers.

You'll also bring:

• Experience in category management, merchandise, procurement, FMCG or a related commercial environment.
• Strong commercial acumen and advanced analytical skills to guide sound decision making and identify growth opportunities.
• Proven experience leading supplier negotiations and managing strategic partnerships alongside exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Leadership experience with a track record of developing high performing teams.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment and deliver results.
• Experience with SAP systems, along with industry knowledge in bakery, deli and/or cafe settings would be an advantage.

Don't tick every box? We'd still love to hear from you. We encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for individuals with diverse experiences and are keen to hear from those who believe they have the drive and potential to succeed in this role.

Why join us?

• We’re committed to equitable outcomes, and we offer additional paid parental leave, free period products and financial health checks to name a few.
• We support your wellbeing with Southern Cross health insurance for you and your family after a qualifying period, discounts at local gyms, access to online wellbeing tools, and a prayer and privacy room onsite.
• We offer continuous learning and professional growth, as well as access to our extensive online training library and endless opportunities.
• We’re proud of our supportive team environment, and our positive and friendly culture that’s made fun by regular social events!
• We’re a Pride Pledge organisation, and we are committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone thrives, every day and we celebrate our diversity as strength.
• Free carparking and in-house café.

How to apply:

Ready to take on the challenge? Click “apply” to apply for the role! Applications will close 11:59pm Thursday 5 November and will only be accepted via our careers site.

If you have any questions about the role, or experience any issues submitting your application, please email [email protected]

About us:

We’re a team of 14,000 who make sure South Islanders have access to the groceries and essentials they need. Proudly 100% Kiwi-owned and operated, our co-operative has more than 200 PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square and On the Spot stores feeding the South Island.

We value being at the heart of our communities, like we’ve always been, to make the South Island a better place – for today and for many generations to come. From sunny Golden Bay all the way to Stewart Island, there’s a Foodstuffs store serving you and your whānau.

Our success is down to our people who bring their skills, experience, passion, and expertise to make Foodies an amazing and rewarding place to work. Our co-op has a wide variety of roles to offer, and endless opportunities for development.

Our values:

At Foodies, together we drive success to be our best and care for our whānau. We recognise that it takes a collective effort to achieve success, and we thrive on fostering a culture of collaboration to drive innovation and embracing challenges as a united team. We are committed to supporting our people, and to positively impact the lives of South Islanders every day.