Senior Buyer - Seasonal Events

Summary

We’re reshaping our Food business to broaden its appeal, protecting the magic our customers love while modernising everything else. That means outstanding quality, high sourcing standards, and market-leading innovation remain at our core, while we transform our supply chains, improve our stores, and deliver better value.

We’re looking for motivated people ready to bring their whole self to work and thrive in a fast-paced, ambitious team. After all, this isn’t just food… this is M&S Food.

All the details

As a Senior Buyer for Ambient Seasonal Events, you’ll play a crucial role in shaping one of the most commercially dynamic and emotionally resonant areas of our Foods business. You’ll lead the strategy, sourcing, and development of event‑driven ranges—from Christmas gifting and Easter treats to key cultural and calendar moments—ensuring each season delivers exceptional customer excitement and commercial impact.

You’ll be responsible for building insight‑led category plans that drive sales, profit, and market share, while curating ranges that showcase industry‑leading quality, innovation, and trend relevance. Working closely with suppliers, product developers, and cross‑functional teams, you’ll define the architecture, pricing, and promotional strategies that bring each event to life and keep M&S at the forefront of seasonal food retailing.

This is a fast‑paced, high‑profile role where agility and creativity are essential. Your decisions will shape how millions of customers celebrate the moments that matter most—ensuring every product on our shelves reflects our brand values, delivers outstanding quality, and makes each season truly special.

Due to high interest, this role may close earlier than advertised. We recommend applying as soon as possible.

What you’ll do

• Drive category sales and profit by creating and delivering robust commercial plans aligned to operating budgets.
• Lead supplier relationships with a focus on negotiation, collaboration, and efficiency improvements across the supply base.
• Develop and implement range strategies that optimise space, product choice, and price architecture to meet customer needs.
• Set and implement promotional and marketing plans that align with the wider Food Group strategy and deliver measurable impact.
• Analyse customer insight, sales trends, and market data to see opportunities for innovation and growth.

Who you are

• A commercially astute buyer with strong negotiation skills and a proven ability to deliver results in a competitive market.
• Skilled at analysing complex data and turning insights into actionable strategies that drive performance.
• A confident communicator who can influence partners and build strong relationships internally and externally.
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative and team-focused, with a passion for delivering outstanding quality and value for customers.

What’s in it for you?

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger – helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
• Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
• 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
• One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.