Buying Manager _ Kitchen _ Homecentre

Landmark Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 260,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Landmark Group is seeking a Buying Manager for Kitchen category in Dubai, UAE. The role oversees the end-to-end product category management, including planning, vendor relations, and budget performance.

The candidate should bring 12-15 years of experience, with at least 8 years in home retail, and a strong kitchen category background. The position involves leading category growth, merchandise planning, design/quality oversight, and a focus on margins and inventory.

Qualifications

• 12-15 years’ relevant experience, of which at least 8+ years in home retail or related industry.
• Experience in kitchen category / home retail is mandatory.
• Postgraduate or Graduate degree is required.
• Dubai, UAE location is stated in the posting.

Responsibilities

• Drive category growth and profitability with comprehensive category business plans.
• Drive and monitor gross margins for the category and align with budgets.
• Prepare annual plans and assist in budget creation for merchandising.
• Ensure adherence to financial plans across sales, markdowns, margin and inventory.
• Develop and manage vendor relationships and optimal buying strategy.
• Oversee recruitment, team development and performance management.
• Conduct competition research and map market trends affecting the business.

Skills

Category management

Vendor management

Merchandising planning

People management

Market research

Education

Postgraduate or Graduate

Job description

Dear Applicants, Homecentre Landmark group, is looking for Buying Manager_ in Kitchen Category to join our team,

Experience: 12-15years (mandate Kitchen category / Home retail experience)

Location: Dubai, UAE

Job Description

Overall business management of assigned product category/department (kitchen) and will ensure the development, implementation and management of the business plans to maximize sales and profits.

Responsibilities for Internal Candidates

1. Category Growth and Profitability

• Drive sales from the assigned category by developing comprehensive category business plans
• Drive and monitor gross margins for the category and ensure alignment with the organization’s position, business plan and budgets.

2. Category Merchandise Planning

• Prepare annual plans for the assigned category and provide inputs to the Merchandising Development and Buying Head to assist in creation of overall merchandizing budget
• Study trends from historical data around product category sales and market research to assist in the overall planning process
• Ensure adherence to financial plan in all key areas - sales, markdowns, margin & average inventory
• Discuss, decide and freeze the merchandise plans (pricing, promotion, assortment etc.) for the category with the Merchandise Planning department
• Ensure effective in season management across territories (stock balancing, markdown management, stock analysis, stock vs sales performance)

3. Category Design and Quality

• Ensure optimum utilization of customer research information to guide category management decisions, including decisions on the introduction of new products, product assortment, shelf layout, promotion and pricing of products in the store
• Formulate design and development plan in consultation with the Design Head with specifications on product features, functions, packaging and resource requirement across categories
• Ensure all design and development activities are carried out within budget
• Ensure the merchandise procured and received meets the quality standards

4. Order and Vendor Management

• Create an adequate vendor base for the organization through active scouting and negotiation / renegotiation
• Maintain relationships with key vendors who are critical for the long term success of the business
• Review the financial and credit services agreement with the key vendors in order to maximize profit and positively contribute to cash flow
• Determine buying requirements and formulate buying plan and budget for the assigned category
• Monitor Orders based on the buying plan and follow-up to ensure merchandise delivery as per the plan based on the agreed service level agreement
• Pursue cost reduction measures through centralized bulk buying and/ or selecting appropriate vendor mix, scanning the environment for benchmarks and constantly improving the purchase process

5. People Management

• Manage and support recruitment
• Monitor team development and facilitate complaint resolution
• Set KRA's for direct reports and conduct performance appraisal
• Oversee staff deployment and drive motivation levels of the direct reportees.

6. Competition Research

• Acquire market intelligence through various sources & analyze trends which may impact our business.
• Map competition prices / products and provide qualitative inputs to the business

Qualifications for Internal Candidates

Postgraduate or Graduate, 12-15 years’ relevant experience of which at least 8+ years should have been in the Home retail industry.