Category: Buyer

About the role:
* Keeping an up-to-date commercial understanding of current and future trends by visiting suppliers’ and competitors’ outlets. Have a sharp fashion eye with recognized ability to spot emerging trends.
* Planning, sourcing and buying of merchandise at category level in a commercial environment. Always analysing current and past sales information to identify success and failure in order to plan effectively.
* Ensuring ranges are selected within timescales sufficient to meet required “on sale” dates in line with agreed company promotional calendars and making operational departments understand what is required.
* Operating within set financial budgets for sales, margins, stock and open to buy.
* Negotiating cost prices, in the best interest of the Company, so achieving financial budgets set for sales, margins, stock and open-to-buy whilst taking into account range and sales plans.
* Taking the necessary action to ensure achievement of terminal stock and margin targets.
* Maintaining effective and professional supplier and factory relationships, so as to develop and sustain a sound supply structure fulfilling the Company requirements by using suppliers’ capabilities and specialties to best advantage.
* Establishing and ensuring the maintenance of expected Company quality standards. Ensuring correct fit of garments to specifications by working closely with QC and suppliers.
* Managing the critical path with junior members of the team in that all key cut off dates are met and delays avoided.
* Training and developing members of the team to achieve their potential, focusing on the individual needs by working on development plans and continually reviewing.

About you:
* Ability to work on own initiative as well as within a team, to meet tight deadlines and demonstrate a passion about the product. Keeping up-to-date with all media channels, blogs, magazines, trends sites, music etc.
* Excellent leadership and motivational skills. Being able to develop junior members of the team by understanding their individual needs.
* Full understanding of the merchandising role and the relationship between it and the buying department. Working closely to balance trading and planning to create timely and exciting ranges for the stores. Ability to adapt to a fast changing market.
* Excellent analytical skills and commercial awareness by being able to always think strategically to drive company profit targets.
* Managing upwards – ensuring always a professional manner is projected to line managers and directors.
* Proven ability to influence and negotiate effectively with suppliers and senior managers. Have a creative yet calm approach to problem solving.
* Proven commercial success in a ladies fashion retailer in a Head Office environment, especially sourcing, negotiation and range planning skills.
* Maintenance of confidentiality at all times.
* Working closely with Design to captures and develop the latest trends and with Technologists to ensure fit satisfies the company’s high quality standard
* Undertake branch visits during the year to ensure awareness of our business, market and competition.
* Measure: ensure that all different grade stores are visited and branch visit reports submitted to directors at least twice a season.

Salary:£35000.00 – £50k pa +Bonues
Location: City of London
Job Type: Permanent
Start Date: ASAP
Duration
Ref No: 291356-TIRS0711_581086Date Advertised: 18 Sep 2015
Published: jobsite.co.uk

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