Football & F1 Product Buyer
Hours: 39 Hours Per week
9:00am-5:00pm - Monday-Thursday
9:00am-4:00pm – Fridays
Location: Droitwich, Worcestershire
Salary - £26,000-£30,000 pa
Are you passionate about football and business management? Do you thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where your creativity and analytical skills can shine? If so, Mystery Football has the perfect opportunity for you!
Purpose of the role:
The purpose of this role is to ensure the efficient sourcing and procurement of football shirts and F1 merchandise, maintaining a seamless flow of stock while delivering high-quality products that meet customer expectations. This role directly contributes to the business’s operational efficiency, cost control, and the overall customer experience by securing sought-after items and managing supplier relationships effectively. In this role, you can expect to work directly with some of the biggest brands and teams in sports such as adidas and Puma.
Vision
At Mystery Football, we set the standard for excellence, reliability, and trust. Our passionate team is dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the game through iconic football shirts. As a leading destination for football apparel, we aim to leave a mark on the global football community, uniting fans worldwide. Join us on this journey as we become the ultimate destination for authentic football shirts, embodying a legacy built on love for the game.
You will be responsible for:
· Monitoring market trends to identify new products and opportunities for sourcing football shirts and F1 merchandise.
· Planning and preparing for incoming stock, ensuring timely procurement and smooth warehouse operations.
· Forecasting stock needs by analysing sales trends, seasonal demand, and market data to ensure optimal inventory levels.
· Maintaining and updating stock databases and spreadsheets to track orders and inventory levels accurately.
· Identifying potential supply chain improvements and proactively solving issues to ensure efficient stock flow.
· Ensuring high standards of sourcing quality, confidentiality, and professionalism in supplier dealings.
· Collaborating with key stakeholders, departments, and directors to communicate on licensing, supplier performance, order statuses, and product developments.
· Negotiating with suppliers to purchase merchandise, focusing on securing competitive pricing and meeting budget targets.
· Coordinating with other departments to ensure stock is processed efficiently and ready for website listings or promotions.
· Continuously researching football shirts, F1 merchandise, and related products to stay informed on market demands and trends.
· Tracking player and team trends, sporting news, and the overall market to forecast demand and guide sourcing strategies.
What We’re Looking For:
• Experience: 1 year working in the industry.
Technical Skills
* Sourcing and Procurement: Expertise in identifying, negotiating, and securing sports merchandise, such as football shirts and F1 products, to meet business needs.
* Supply Chain Management: Proficiency in managing supplier relationships, logistics, and inventory systems to ensure the seamless flow of stock.
* Data Analysis and Reporting: Ability to track and interpret key metrics such as inventory turnover, cost of goods sold (COGS), and supplier performance to guide buying decisions.
* Inventory Forecasting: Skilled in demand planning and forecasting based on sales trends, market data, and seasonal demand to optimise stock levels.
* Budgeting and Cost Control: Experience in monitoring procurement budgets, negotiating competitive supplier terms, and achieving profitability targets.
* Trend Analysis: Familiarity with tracking market trends, player/team performance, and customer preferences to source the most in-demand products.
Soft Skills
* Communication: Clear and professional communication with suppliers, internal teams, and directors to align on procurement, stock updates, and business priorities.
* Negotiation: Confidence in securing favourable pricing, terms, and exclusive deals with suppliers while maintaining strong relationships.
* Problem-Solving: Quick thinking to resolve issues such as supply chain disruptions, stock shortages, or quality concerns while maintaining efficiency.
* Time Management: Strong prioritization skills to balance sourcing, forecasting, supplier communication, and internal reporting without delays.
* Adaptability: Flexibility to handle unexpected challenges, such as shifting customer demand, supplier delays, or new sourcing opportunities.
Behavioural Competencies:
Our culture is underpinned by core values that are linked to key behavioural competencies. Along with the below behavioural competencies, these are essential for all employees in order for you to embed in and drive our culture forward.
These competencies are Trustworthiness, Happiness, Success, Energy, Focus, Quality, Value, Satisfaction, Uniqueness, Enjoyment, Friendship, Kindness.
* Sets high standards of performance for self.
* Able to work autonomously.
* Adaptable and flexible.
* Team player with good interpersonal skills.
* Analytical and able to read data.
* Ability to work well under pressure.
* Ability to quickly and proficiently understand and absorb new information.
* Highly numerate and interested in working with data to drive decisions.
* Able to come up with new and creative approaches to achieve results.
* High attention to detail.
* Excellent communication skills- both written and verbal.
* Ability to work autonomously with the confidence in taking the initiative to reach out to other departments.
* Regularly shows initiative.
Profile
· A keen interest in business growth and operations.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
· A passion for sport and specifically football and F1.
· Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.
· Attention to detail.
· Logical approach to problem solving.
· Great people skills, create positive relationships with suppliers
· Enthusiastic team player willing to assist in all areas of the business.
· Highly ambitious and energetic.
Why Join Mystery Football?
· At Mystery Football, you’ll be more than just an employee – you’ll be a crucial part of a team transforming the football merchandise industry. We believe in nurturing talent and providing opportunities for growth and advancement. We see this role as a crucial and core of growth for the future of the MysteryFootball Brand. If you’re ready to take your career to the next level and be part of a company passionate about football and innovation, we want to hear from you!
Benefits
· 5.6 weeks holiday plus Bank Holidays
· Pension Scheme
· Potential to work hybrid-remote following probation
· Staff discount
· Staff events
· Casual dress code
· Early finish on a Friday
Location
· 5 minute walk from Droitwich train station
· On-site parking
Apply now and become a key player in our exciting journey to bring the best football shirt collections to fans worldwide.
Embrace the challenge. Drive the strategy. Shape the future with Mystery Football.