Description
Assistant - Buyer Merchandiser
Location – Hybrid/remote (commutable to key locations)
About Our Client
Our client is a family-owned, second-generation entrepreneurial business actively expanding in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors. With a strong people-centric culture, they operate world-renowned brands across these industries, including one of the fastest-growing strength and conditioning leisure brands in the UK.
In an evolving and increasingly complex business landscape, growth requires embracing diversification, optimizing agility, and fostering flexibility for sustained success. This approach underpins our client’s strategy and purpose, with the ambition to develop a multi-brand organization that enhances brand performance through a commercial operator lens.
Job Description
As a Buyer, you are a seasoned professional with strong commercial acumen and a proven track record in procurement. Your ability to analyze complex data, understand market trends, and influence stakeholders at various levels enables you to develop and execute category strategies that drive profitable growth and deliver exceptional customer propositions. With your strategic mindset and adaptability in balancing short- and long-term objectives, you are adept at managing high-performing teams, navigating dynamic retail environments, and making impactful decisions that positively influence shareholder value, product performance, and team development.
Your role will involve range building, range selection, product proposition, and planned executions across all channels, with a focus on delivering a customer-centric proposition and achieving target KPIs, including sales, margin, stock, availability, and customer satisfaction.
Additionally, you will manage pricing strategies, negotiate supplier funding, and work towards enhancing profitability through effective trading plans and joint business plans with suppliers. You will play a key role in executing range launches, promotions, and events while contributing to the financial management and success of products.
Role Responsibilities
Pitching ideas for new product ranges to key stakeholders in the business
Managing suppliers to deliver product development and conducting market research to bring new products to market
Identifying suitable suppliers/manufacturers and maintaining strong business relationships
Identifying niche products tailored to the target customer base
Visiting relevant trade fairs to source new products
Developing and embedding ethical supply chain policies
Coordinating product launches across eCommerce and physical locations
Negotiating prices, quantities, and delivery timescales with suppliers to secure optimal cost prices, lead times, and payment terms
Managing pricing across categories to achieve a competitive position without compromising profitability
Analyzing purchase data and managing stock levels
Producing reports and forecasts to inform purchasing decisions
Completing financial and system administration tasks
Maximizing product performance by understanding market trends, competitors, and customer needs
Collaborating with internal stakeholders to drive sales, profit, and efficient stock management
Continuously improving product offerings by monitoring reviews and feedback reports
Skills and Experience
Minimum of 1 year of experience in a similar role, with essential experience in buying or purchasing
Comfortable, confident, and experienced in managing overseas suppliers
Strong commercial awareness and analytical skills
Dynamic and eager to learn and develop within the company
Excellent negotiation skills with a keen ability to identify trends and their impact on stock levels
Proficiency in Excel and other Microsoft programs
Ability to extract and interpret data, developing a strong awareness of business systems
Ability to work proactively and re-actively in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple tasks
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a collaborative team-oriented approach
High attention to detail and ability to work efficiently under pressure
Benefits
Contributory pension scheme
25 days holiday
Free access to fitness facilities
Discretionary annual bonus scheme, based on performance
MediCash health insurance package
Mileage reimbursement (aligned with current HMRC rates) from base location (TBC)