Buying Coordinator

About Kreol Group

Kreol Group is a globally active consumer goods company focused on distribution channels, brand development, and retail across the GCC, Middle East, Africa, and Indian subcontinent. The group's operations encompass travel retail, modern trade, and e-commerce, supported by logistics, warehousing, merchandising, marketing, and retail management capabilities.

About the Division

Kreol Travel Retail distributes multi-category products to airport duty-free and other travel retail segments in the Middle East, Africa, and Indian subcontinent. Their portfolio features confectionery, food, fragrances, personal care, and travel accessories, representing international and regional brands across a wide network of markets and retail partners.

Role Overview

The Buying Coordinator will oversee daily supplier interactions and buying activities for the travel retail division's portfolio. Key duties include managing product lifecycles from contract negotiation and pricing through listing, forecasting, ordering, inventory management, supplier collaboration, and claims processing. The role demands supplier engagement and coordination with commercial, sales, finance, and operations teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and monitor supplier and distribution contracts, tracking all essential commercial terms, renewal and expiry dates, and pending actions.
• Compile summary trackers highlighting commercial details such as territories, sales channels, margins, payment terms, and marketing commitments.
• Manage contract renewals and amendments in collaboration with suppliers, management, and internal stakeholders.
• Assist onboarding of new brands, products, and SKUs, maintaining accurate supplier and product master data.
• Custodian for vendor and product data entry and updates within the ERP system.
• Calculate initial product pricing including purchase, logistics, margin, and suggested retail pricing for managerial review.
• Keep updated supplier price lists and commercial documents organized both digitally and physically.
• Track listings of brands and SKUs across customers and markets.
• Analyze SKU-level sales, stock, demand, and listing success post-launch.
• Develop practical demand forecasts using various sales data and market intelligence.
• Determine reorder quantities and timing considering demand, stock levels, lead times, minimum order quantities, and supplier limits.
• Issue and monitor purchase orders to avoid stock-outs.
• Coordinate inbound shipments and logistics with suppliers and partners.
• Review warehouse inventory for stock cover, ageing, slow-moving and expiring products to manage risks proactively.
• Regularly share sales, stock, and performance insights with brand partners and vendors.
• Prepare and organize periodic supplier performance reviews covering sales, forecasts, stock, marketing, new products, and follow-up actions.
• Maintain clear action trackers post supplier meetings to ensure timely closure of tasks.
• Coordinate marketing support, promotional campaigns, and commercial investments with brands.
• Manage claims for promotional spend, damages, shortages, and other supplier-related recoveries promptly.
• Liaise with Finance to resolve claims, credit notes, and supplier commitments.
• Oversee product launches and changes ensuring full receipt of commercial details and product samples.
• Maintain and refine buying and supplier management reports for business visibility on orders, inventory, risks, and opportunities.
• Continuously improve buying, forecasting, and inventory procedures using ERP data and structured reporting.
• Perform any other vendor-related coordination tasks as required.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Commerce or similar field.
• Preferably 2 to 4 years experience in buying, procurement, replenishment, demand planning, category coordination, or supplier management.
• Experience in FMCG, consumer packaged goods, retail, distribution, or other SKU-heavy industries is highly desirable.
• Ability to analyze sales and inventory data to guide procurement decisions.
• Proficient in demand forecasting concepts including stock coverage, lead times, MOQs, reorder quantities, ageing, and turnover.
• Strong expertise in Microsoft Excel handling large datasets.
• Experience with ERP systems; familiarity with Odoo is a plus.
• Commercial acumen to understand pricing structures, margins, and supplier agreements beyond transactional tasks.
• Excellent organizational and follow-up skills managing multiple brands, suppliers, SKUs, and outstanding items simultaneously.
• Confident in supplier communications, negotiation, and conducting structured performance reviews.
• Detail-focused, analytical, and proactive to prevent issues affecting sales or inventory.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, multi-brand, and multi-market setting.
• Willingness to commute daily to Dubai Investments Park 2 and work half days on Saturdays.