Buyer - Savoury Confectionery

WHSmith Australia; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work (3 days in Woolloomooloo)

Flexible Working

4pm Friday Finish

Birthday day off

Annual Bonus

Wellbeing support (EAP)

Employee discounts

Free barista coffee

Career development

Diversity & Inclusion

Job summary

WHSmith Australia is seeking a seasoned Buyer to drive savoury confectionery category growth in a vibrant travel retail environment. You will source, negotiate and manage supplier partnerships, shaping strategies to deliver sales and profit targets across our Australian stores.

The role offers hybrid working with 3 days in our Woolloomooloo office, a strong development culture, and opportunities for progression within a global brand. You’ll need a proven buying background and a drive for results.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Buyer, Category Manager, Account Manager or similar.
• Exceptional negotiation skills.
• Strong commercial acumen with ability to interpret data and market information.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain supplier and senior stakeholder relationships.
• A resilient and results driven mindset with a focus on meeting targets.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong customer focus.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing and developing supplier relationships to maximise opportunities.
• Grow and develop new strategic areas of business.
• Identify market trends from product history, supplier information, current trends and competitor activity.
• Analyze historical sales data, margins, stock turns, markdowns by colour, subclass and supplier performance.
• Conduct regular financial analysis of sales, margins, stock levels and adjust merchandise plans.
• Identify opportunities to grow rebates across the category.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with stores through regular visits.

Skills

Buyer

Category Manager

Account Manager

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Job description

Are you an experienced Buyer or Account Manager who is passionate about discovering new and exciting products and delivering sales and profit targets? We’re looking for a Buyer who’s ready to take that next step in the exciting world of travel retail!

• Exciting opportunity to join a global travel retail brand with a vibrant culture and a focus on developing its people
• Influence, manage and negotiate key contracts within our savoury confectionery range
• Lead category strategies and pricing and promotional plans

What You’ll Be Doing

As a Buyer at WHSmith Australia, you will be responsible for impulse ensuring our savoury confectionery offering is innovative, customer led and commercially successful.

• Sourcing and developingsupplier relationships so that WHSmith’s opportunity to buy the right products at the right price at the right time are maximised.
• Growing and developing new areas of business identified as strategic growth opportunities.
• Identifyingmarkettrends by researching product history, supplier information, currenttrends,and competitor activity.
• Analysing historical statistical data by reviewing sales, profit, stock-turn, markdowns, by colour,subclass,and supplier performance.
• Conducting regular financial analysis of sales, margins, stock levels and markdowns and revaluate merchandise plan accordingly.
• Identifying opportunities to grow rebates across the category.
• Maintaining collaborative relationships with stores through regular visits.

This is a great opportunity which will allow you to come up with and implement category strategies and implement change.

What We Are Looking For

The successful candidate will have apassion for buying andwill be committed to helping our business grow and succeed.

You will have an analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and translate that into meaningful commercial results. This is a fast-paced and dynamic environment but one with a strong team culture.

The Following Qualities Are Essential

• Proven experience as a Buyer, Category Manager, Account Manager or similar.
• Exceptional negotiation skills.
• Strong commercial acumen, with an analytical mindset, and the ability to interpret data and market information.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain both supplier and senior stakeholder relationships.
• A resilient and results driven mindset with a focus on meeting targets.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong customer focus.

How We Reward Our Teams

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Hybrid working (3 days in our Woolloomooloo office)
• Flexible Working
• 4pm Friday Finish
• Enjoy a paid day off to celebrate your birthday!
• Strong commitment to development and internal progression
• A culture and workplace that values wellbeing, inclusion and personal growth
• Annual Bonus based on company and personal performance
• Access to 24/7 wellbeing support through our confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Generous employee discounts across a range of our products and with our retail partners.
• Free barista style coffee available in our renovated Support Office.

About Us

WHSmith is an iconic British retailer with proud Australian operations, at the heart of travel, offering books, news, and essentials, designed for life on the move. Our diverse retail brands include WHSmith Retail, InMotion, Kids Stop and The Book Cellar, each dedicated to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Our stores are located in some of Australia’s busiest airports & Hospitals, providing a dynamic and fast paced work environment that is perfect for a driven individual who thrives on a challenge and is ready to kick start their career.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

WHSmith is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment. We recognise the importance of equity in all that we do, as well as promoting a culture of inclusion through our policies, procedures and working practices. If you have any support requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application, so we can assist you appropriately during the recruitment process.

Value our People, Drive for Results, Customer Focus & Accountability.