This Dairy Procurement Manager job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Purchasing Manager, Senior Buyer, Category Manager or Buyer. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.
| Job title | Dairy Procurement Manager |
| Also known as | Purchasing Manager, Senior Buyer, Category Manager, Buyer |
| Department | Procurement, supply chain and logistics |
| Reports to | Head of Procurement or Supply Chain Director |
| Direct reports | Buyers or procurement assistants, depending on the size of the business |
What does a Dairy Procurement Manager do?
Buys the non-milk materials and services a dairy processor needs, including packaging, ingredients, cultures, cleaning chemicals, energy and services. Secures reliable supply at the right quality and total cost, manages contracts and supplier performance, and works with quality assurance to approve and monitor suppliers.
Dairy Procurement Manager duties and responsibilities
Sourcing and tenders
- Build category plans that set out spend, supply risks, market trends and sourcing strategy
- Run tenders and requests for quotation for packaging, ingredients, cultures, chemicals and services
- Assess suppliers on price, quality, capacity, service and sustainability before awarding business
- Negotiate prices, payment terms, lead times and minimum order quantities
- Buy electricity, gas and fuel in line with the agreed fixed-price or hedging policy
- Identify alternative and back-up suppliers for critical materials
Contracts and commercial control
- Draft and agree supply contracts and service agreements with legal support
- Manage contract renewals, price reviews and index-linked pricing clauses
- Keep accurate records of contracts, approvals and spend in the purchasing system
- Follow company purchasing policy, delegated authority limits and competition law
Supplier approval and quality
- Work with quality assurance to approve new suppliers and materials before first use
- Agree raw material and packaging specifications with suppliers, quality assurance and production
- Check that suppliers hold the food safety, allergen and food contact certificates required
- Arrange supplier audits and follow up corrective actions
- Handle supplier non-conformances, claims and credit notes
Supplier performance and cost savings
- Track supplier delivery, quality and service against agreed measures
- Hold regular performance reviews with key suppliers
- Deliver savings through negotiation, consolidation, specification changes and value engineering
- Monitor input markets such as packaging materials, sugar, fruit and energy to anticipate price changes
- Report savings, price movements and supply risks to management each month
Supply planning and stakeholders
- Agree stock levels, call-offs and safety stock for purchased materials with planning
- Resolve material shortages quickly to protect production and customer orders
- Source new ingredients and packaging on time for product launches
- Support sustainability targets through recyclable packaging and responsible sourcing
- Coach and develop buyers and procurement staff
Dairy Procurement Manager qualifications and experience
Essential
- Degree in business, supply chain, engineering, food science or a related subject, or equivalent experience
- Solid experience in procurement in food, dairy or fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing
- Track record of running tenders, negotiating contracts and delivering measurable savings
- Working knowledge of specifications, supplier approval and food safety requirements for packaging and ingredients
- Experience with purchasing or ERP systems and spend analysis
- Understanding of contract terms, payment terms and commercial risk
Desirable
- Professional procurement qualification
- Experience buying cultures, enzymes, stabilisers or food contact packaging
- Experience of energy purchasing or price hedging
- Knowledge of sustainable sourcing and packaging recyclability requirements
Skills and attributes
- Negotiation and influencing
- Commercial and financial analysis
- Supplier relationship management
- Attention to detail in contracts and specifications
- Clear written and verbal communication
- Problem solving under time pressure
- Organisation and prioritisation
How success is measured
- Cost savings delivered against target
- Supplier on-time, in-full delivery
- Supplier quality non-conformances and claims
- Share of spend under contract
- Production stoppages caused by material shortages
- Purchased stock value or days of cover against target
Working conditions and safety
Office-based at a processing site or head office, with regular contact with production, planning and quality teams. Travel to suppliers for audits, reviews and negotiations.
- Follow health and safety rules and safe systems of work, and wear the correct PPE
- Follow food safety, hygiene, HACCP and quality procedures at all times
- Report hazards, accidents, near misses and concerns promptly
Dairy Procurement Manager interview questions
Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy Procurement Manager role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.
- How would you build a sourcing strategy for food contact packaging at a dairy plant?
What a good answer shows: Covers spend analysis, supplier market, specifications, food contact rules, supply risk, dual sourcing, total cost and sustainability. - Describe a tender you ran from start to finish. What did it deliver?
What a good answer shows: Clear specification, shortlist, structured evaluation, negotiation and award, with measurable savings or service gains checked afterwards. - How do you work with quality assurance to approve a new ingredient supplier?
What a good answer shows: Questionnaire, certificates, agreed specification, audit where risk is high, trial batch, approval before first use and ongoing monitoring. - How do you manage price rises on energy or packaging linked to volatile markets?
What a good answer shows: Understands cost drivers and indices, uses contract mechanisms, timing, hedging policy and alternatives, and keeps finance informed. - A sole supplier of a key culture warns of a four-week shortage. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Confirms facts, checks stock, finds approved alternatives with QA, prioritises products, informs sales, then secures a second supplier. - Production wants a cheaper carton, but QA doubts its seal integrity. How do you resolve this?
What a good answer shows: Brings both sides together, runs trials, puts food safety first and looks for savings that do not weaken product protection. - A supplier offers you hospitality during a live tender. How do you respond?
What a good answer shows: Declines or declares it under policy, protects the fairness of the tender and treats all bidders equally. - How do you assess and reduce supply risk across your categories?
What a good answer shows: Maps materials by criticality and supplier exposure, checks supplier finances, holds back-up suppliers, safety stock and contract protections. - How do you get production, planning and finance to support a procurement change?
What a good answer shows: Involves them early, shows evidence and benefits, deals with concerns, and agrees clear ownership and follow-up. - How have you developed a buyer or junior colleague?
What a good answer shows: A specific example of coaching, delegation and feedback that led to a clear improvement in their performance.
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Frequently asked questions
Buys the non-milk materials and services a dairy processor needs, including packaging, ingredients, cultures, cleaning chemicals, energy and services. Secures reliable supply at the right quality and total cost, manages contracts and supplier performance, and works with quality assurance to approve and monitor suppliers.
Employers usually look for: degree in business, supply chain, engineering, food science or a related subject, or equivalent experience; solid experience in procurement in food, dairy or fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing; track record of running tenders, negotiating contracts and delivering measurable savings.
A Dairy Procurement Manager usually reports to the Head of Procurement or Supply Chain Director. Direct reports typically include buyers or procurement assistants, depending on the size of the business.
Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.
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