Category Buyer

Are you ready to embark on a career journey that offers professional growth working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in remote communities and related networks and deliver a meaningful impact? Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ) seeks a dedicated individual to fill two full time roles of Category Buyer.

As a critical team member, you will be at the heart of our support services function in the Torres Strait, Northern Peninsula Area, and remote Aboriginal communities. Operating in 31 retail stores across remote locations, CEQ ensures access to quality fresh food, groceries, and essential services like fuel, gas, and ATM facilities. Your role will be based in the busy and culturally diverse Cairns Support Office.

It really needs you to be enthusiastic about making a difference and ready to take on a challenging and rewarding role that aligns with your values (ours is "Caring, every day, always") and aspirations. If so, we invite you to join us at Community Enterprise Queensland. To take this step in your exciting career journeying, apply for this role.

About the role

CEQ has exciting opportunities for Category Buyers to join the Merchandise & Supply team. In these roles, you will utilise your retail and category management expertise to optimise stock availability, drive category performance, manage supplier relationships, and support procurement activities across CEQ's network of remote community stores. Working closely with suppliers, store teams, and internal stakeholders, you will play a key role in delivering commercially sound outcomes while ensuring communities have access to affordable, quality products. These positions are ideal for experienced retail professionals looking to apply their buying, merchandising, inventory, or category management experience in a purpose-driven organisation that makes a genuine difference in first nations communities in Qld.

Partnering with a cross-cultural, geographically dispersed team from Cairns to Cape York Peninsula, Gulf of Carpentaria, North Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands, the Program Support Officer contributes to fostering a positive, efficient, and people?centered workplace culture and will work in alignment with the CEQ vision and values and playing an integral role in ensuring the ongoing success and reputation of CEQ as an employer of choice.

Key duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to

• Effectively manage the supply of goods in CEQ stores
• Monitor and manage stock levels to ensure optimal inventory across all locations
• Maintain data integrity in CEQ systems, including code creation, maintenance, stock adjustments, transfers, and price changes for the designated portfolio
• Reconcile/review orders, deliveries, and invoices to ensure correct pricing, credits or products are received
• Identify and source goods through suppliers ensuring the product mix meets/exceeds store requirements, CEQ standards and community expectations whilst meeting all legal and statutory obligations
• Conduct regular order reviews to maintain stock availability and minimise overstock or stockouts
• Develop ranging strategies and marketing initiatives, plus promotional activities to increase sales and provide competitive retail offers to all stores
• Maintain strong pricing and margin control on all lines and identify and commercialise key seasonal trends to achieve budgeted sales and margin, maintaining product viability
• Manage stock pricing to ensure CEQ is competitive and affordable on everyday products required for the community's health and wellbeing whilst ensuring gross profit margins are maintained at a level required for business sustainability
• Analyse and manage category margins to support profitability targets
• Conduct analysis, monthly product reviews, tracking of slow-moving product and advertising performance
• Develop and maintain effective stock ranging strategies tailored to store needs and customer demand
• Maintain write-off reporting- analyse activity/issues to minimise loss
• Collaborate with suppliers to negotiate pricing, terms, and delivery schedules
• Ensure supplier operations and premises and product meet and/or exceed legal statutory requirements and company expectations
• Manager supplier product performance throughout the duration of contract to service level and defined KPIs
• Develop systems in conjunction with admin, merchandise & logistics to ensure efficiencies of purchasing & logistics operations
• Monitor procurement and supply chain performance, identifying areas for improvement
• Support the implementation of procurement policies, systems, and best practices
• Prepare and present reports on category performance, trends, and forecasts
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with CEQ store managers and operations team
• Work in a team environment, assist other Category Buyers when required
• Drive nutrition and wellbeing improvements within our team and community
• Resolve customer and store issues promptly and effectively
• Travel to remote store locations as required to support procurement and stock management activities
• Other reasonable duties as requested by General Manager - Merchandise & Supply or the CEO

Qualifications & Experience

• A minimum of 3 years of experience working in a similar role within the Retail environment is essential
• Previous experience working in a large and complex business desirable, but not essential
• Demonstrated ability to work in remote locations with limited resources
• A collaborative and inclusive approach to working within a cross-cultural environment, where respect for and a desire to gain an understanding of traditional Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture and customs is an absolute necessity
• Ability to travel to remote communities in light aircraft and ferries as required
• Demonstrated ability to work in a resource limited environment
• Current Criminal History check (no more than 3 months old)

Software & Systems Experience

• Intermediate to advanced level of competency using the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams)
• Intermediate to advanced level of competency using SmartRetail/Grocery Manager or other similar inventory system

Our Culture

CEQ promote an honest, progressive, collaborate, respectful and inclusive teamwork environment throughout the establishment, culturing diversity and growth within the workforce

Our key benefits

• 4 weeks annual leave & 17.5% leave loading
• Ability to Salary Sacrifice up to $15,900.00 p.a. (meals & entertainment options)
• Employee assistance program (counselling & support services) available
• Workplace health and wellbeing initiatives

Applications

Applications close 5pm Tuesday, 18 September 2026.

To apply for this career opportunity please click apply via Seek and attach a copy of your resume and cover letter. We reserve the right to close the position earlier than stated.

First Nations applicants are encouraged to apply. For more information, email: ••••@ceqld.org.au