Job Details
Buyer
- Effectively plan to ensure that top line sales goals and bottom line profit goals are met by overseeing the execution of brand strategies.
- Direct assortments that support the needs of the customer and the financial objectives of the merchandising division.
- Procures merchandise in the appropriate quantities, within the appropriate time framework at the best prices.
- Establish strong relationships and a thorough understanding of the customer and/or consumer to maximize potential.
- Communicate daily with Sr Buyer on all aspect of the business, keeping him/her informed of performances, strategies and any issues that may occur that affect the department.
- Work with Planner to create an assortment plan by category for future seasons and present current financial open to buy position on a monthly basis.
- Work with Planning on promotion and pos weekly.
- Work with Store planning/allocation on inventory matters weekly.
- Work with the Marketing/Visual team to communicate key items and messages and oversee floor set (product placement) and communicate marketing needs.
- Analyze sales, margin, and all other aspects of the business information in weekly review sessions.
- Shop/travel to trade shows to identify upcoming trends that pertain to the brand.
- Visit stores to review presentation, identify opportunities, suggestions, and needs.
- Shop competing and inspirational venues to monitor fashion trends, pricing strategies and presentation techniques.
Brand Management
- Define and create assortment strategy to maximize sales and profitability for the department (from trend shopping, to line plan creation, to proto development, to line finalization).
- Oversee all information flow between the product organization and TAF Merchandising.
- Write Private Brand Financial Strategy, targets and receipt plans for the Buy Meeting.
- Communicate to division the private brand merchandise and business strategies based on the plans.
- Partner with Sr Buyer in execution of seasonal private brand sales and margin plans.
- Generate support of the line and financial plans by gathering product performance input from division, sharing line development and direction, and promoting the assortments.
- Recap and analyze all order placements, write corporate callouts, approve lap dips/spec sign offs and follow through to make sure changes are implemented.
- Responsible for identifying and communicating to private brand team all reorders and new emerging opportunities.
Cross-Functional Responsibilities
- Collaborates with cross-functional teams within the division.
- Assist marketing in the development of marketing plans and campaigns to support assortments.
- Ensure merchandise strategies are executed on the store level.
- Partner with marketing director on time and action calendar for each season.
- Provide leadership to division and product staff through product category expertise.
- Regular, dependable attendance and punctuality.
- Produce a Quarterly Report & use it to build QBR presentations for vendor partners.
Essential Education /Qualifications:
- Minimum 5 years buying experience including both retail buying experience and brand management/merchandising experience.
- Financial and Business Acumen: Ability to evaluate financial and business indicators and translate data into actionable information to drive results.
- Analytical: High Proficiency in retail math and analytical skills. Ability to think objectively and interpret meaningful themes from quantitative and qualitative data.
- Problem Solving & Decision Quality: Able to use rigorous logic and methods to solve problems with effective solutions.
- High proficiency and solid foundation of Microsoft Office Programs such as MS Excel, MS Word, PowerPoint.
- Knowledge of industry best practices and demonstrated knowledge/ability for assortment curation, planning and analytics and how they support the long-range merchandise strategy.
- Data input with high accuracy rate required.
- Critical and Independent Thinker that drives solutions.
- Extremely detailed oriented.
- Demonstrates initiative, is conscientious and provides complete follow through on all aspects of responsibility.
- Considers the ultimate impact of decisions and actions on internal and external customers.
- Excellent written and verbal skills.
- Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Strong communication skills in regards to business analytics and strategic thought process.
- Excellent fashion sense and good taste level as it relates to product.
- A passion for and deep understanding of the athletic lifestyle space
- Driven and determined to achieve results in a fast paced-start up oriented working environment.
- Relationship Management: Able to build constructive and effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of business partners.
- Effective speaker and listener in a variety of settings including one-on-one, small and large groups.
- Can present ideas and directions that lead others to action.
- Demonstrate an ability to set objectives and goals and organize work appropriately to meet and exceed goals.
- Anticipate risks and identifies contingency plans and processes to prevent disruptions when risks occur.
- Can thrive in a fast-moving, flexible environment in which people are stretched both in the breadth and depth of their responsibilities. Comfortable with change.