Jobs, fresher vacancy - Operational Excellence Lead (Buying-Focused) • Buckinghamshire

Company: F&F Stores

Buckinghamshire

About usF&F Stores Ltd./Gettrend is a rapidly expanding E-commerce business. We offer a large selection of items for the whole family, ranging from toys, fashion, home accessories and beauty via popular E-commerce marketplaces and our own e-commerce website.Location: Office-based (Monday to Friday), in Milton KeynesContract: Full-time, PermanentNumber of vacancies: 1Report to: DirectorWe are seeking an Operational Excellence Lead with a strong data-driven background to lead transformation initiatives across our organisation. This newly created role will focus initially on optimising our Buying function, working closely with internal stakeholders to identify inefficiencies, streamline processes, and drive measurable improvements in speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness.With success in Buying, the role will expand to lead continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives across other business functions. This is a high-impact, cross-functional role well-suited to someone who is commercially minded, hands-on with data, and passionate about building scalable systems and processes.Experience in a fast-paced e-commerce environment is highly desirable.Key ResponsibilitiesProcess Optimisation: Identify and implement improvements within the Buying team to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.Data Analysis & Insight Generation: Use data to analyse workflows, uncover bottlenecks, and quantify opportunities for improvement.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Procurement, Inventory Management, Merchandising, Finance, and Tech teams to ensure seamless process integration.KPI Development & Monitoring: Define success metrics, set up dashboards, and track progress against continuous improvement targets.Operational Excellence Programme: Design and roll out a structured framework to embed Lean/Agile principles and a continuous improvement culture across the business.Scalability & Automation: Identify tools, systems, or automation opportunities to drive long-term efficiency gains.Team & Stakeholder Leadership: Effectively lead cross-functional working groups, influence decision-makers, and support capability-building across teams.People Management: Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and adaptability in leading teams with varied experiences and perspectives, fostering collaboration and inclusive engagement.Buying-Focused Responsibilities:Conduct in-depth process reviews of supplier onboarding, order placement, product setup, and purchase order tracking to identify improvement opportunities.Lead the Buying team to enhance vendor management practices, including performance tracking (e.g., lead time, fulfilment rates, pricing accuracy).Manage the product critical path and ensure cross-team accountability to deadlines.Track and reduce refund rates through analysis and root cause identificationUse historical sales and forecast data to support improved buy planning, budget control, and seasonal stock alignment.Assist in refining product selection and rationalisation strategies using data-led analysis of category, margin, and sell-through performance.Help implement or improve buying-related systems or tools (e.g., ERP, range planning, PIM) to streamline operations and reduce manual effort.Required:Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Data Science, Supply Chain, or a related fieldMinimum 3 years’ experience in Continuous Improvement, Business Operations, Strategy, or a related role.Demonstrated experience leading process improvements using data and structured methodologiesStrong proficiency in Excel and/or Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or similar operational excellence frameworksExcellent stakeholder engagement, communication, and project management skillsFamiliarity with international supplier management and compliance workflowsDesirable:Amazon, marketplace, or high-growth e-commerce backgroundExposure to seasonal or fast-moving consumer goodsBenefits:Casual dressOn-site parkingEmployee Assistance ProgrammeBright ExchangeRegular social events including summer & end of year parties.Spontaneous employee well-being treatsAn Amazon Birthday voucherVouchers at Christmas to shop with F&FStaff PurchasesAnnual Holiday entitlementNEST PensionPrivate medical insurance with Vitality health with various benefits including discounts on a gym membership