Liquidation/Close-out Buyer (Retail)

JRoss Retail Recruiters; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary based on experience

Performance-based incentives

Opportunities for career advancement

Job summary

A retail recruitment specialist is seeking a Buyer, Liquidation for a new large-format warehouse retail concept in Toronto. The ideal candidate will lead the development of liquidation strategies, negotiate with suppliers, and manage inventory in a fast-paced environment. This role demands strong analytical skills, negotiation abilities, and a background in high-volume retail. Competitive salary, performance-based incentives, and opportunities for advancement are provided as the retail concept grows.

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in wholesale or category management within high-volume retail.
• Strong data analysis and decision-making capabilities.
• Experience in entrepreneurial or start-up retail settings is a plus.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with procurement or inventory management systems.
• Experience in entrepreneurial or start-up retail settings is a significant advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead category strategy development for liquidation and closeout products.
• Negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive pricing.
• Create and implement scalable buying and inventory processes.
• Analyze market trends to identify key opportunities.
• Monitor stock levels and guide replenishment.
• Evaluate supplier reliability and product quality to ensure high standards.
• Use sales data and margin analysis to forecast demand and align inventory with customer needs.
• Manage category budgets with a focus on profitability and turnover.
• Apply merchandising and space optimization practices to maximize sales in a warehouse setting.
• Track KPIs related to category sales, vendor performance, and purchasing efficiency.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Data analysis

Organizational skills

Vendor relations

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, or related field

Tools

Procurement systems

Inventory management systems

Excel

Job description

Our client is preparing to launch an exciting new large‑format warehouse retail concept designed to deliver exceptional value, a broad assortment of products, and a dynamic shopping experience. As part of this major new venture, they are building a category leadership team to establish the framework for how the business buys, merchandises, and competes in a fast‑paced retail landscape. The Buyer, Liquidation will be at the forefront of establishing and driving the product strategy for this category, focused on sourcing and managing liquidation and closeout inventory to support both the store opening and long‑term growth.

This is not a traditional buying role. We are seeking an entrepreneurial‑minded individual who thrives in a start‑up environment where processes are being built from the ground up, agility is key, and decisions have an immediate impact on business outcomes. The successful candidate will be responsible for defining the liquidation category vision, including sourcing strategies, vendor relationships, pricing structures, and margin optimization.

Description

• Develop & Execute Liquidation Strategies: Lead category strategy development for liquidation and closeout products, including sourcing and managing bulk quantities of liquidation stock across general merchandise, seasonal, and opportunistic categories. Categories include household items, apparel, consumer electronics, footwear, and more.
• Lead Bulk Purchasing: Negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, volume discounts, and favorable terms, while ensuring strong margins and cost efficiency.
• Build Category Management Processes: Create and implement scalable buying and inventory processes to meet the demands of a high‑volume, fast‑moving warehouse retail environment.
• Trend Analysis & Insights: Analyze market trends, customer preferences, and competitor offerings to identify key opportunities for liquidation product assortment and category performance.
• Inventory Management: Monitor stock levels, guide replenishment, and optimize sell‑through to maintain strong availability while controlling costs.
• Supplier Performance: Evaluate supplier reliability, product quality, and consistency to ensure high standards are met.
• Data‑Driven Forecasting: Use sales data, margin analysis, and other performance metrics to forecast demand, refine purchasing strategies, and ensure inventory is aligned with customer needs.
• Category Profitability: Manage category budgets, with a strong focus on delivering profitability, margin targets, and efficient inventory turnover.
• Merchandising & Space Optimization: Apply best practices in product display, presentation, and space utilization to maximize sales and customer engagement in a warehouse setting.
• KPI Management: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to category sales, vendor performance, and purchasing efficiency to measure success.

Requirements

• Experience: 5 years of experience in wholesale, liquidation purchasing, or category management within high‑volume retail environments (general merchandise, seasonal, apparel, consumer electronics, etc.).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, commerce, or a related field.
• Negotiation & Vendor Relations: Strong negotiation skills and a proven track record in supplier relationship management.
• Analytical Skills: Strong data analysis and decision‑making capabilities, with advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with procurement or inventory management systems.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Experience in entrepreneurial or start‑up retail settings is a significant advantage, as you’ll be building the category from the ground up.
• Organizational Skills: Highly organized, capable of managing multiple product categories in a fast‑paced, high‑volume environment.
• Professional Certifications: Certifications in purchasing, supply chain management, or category management are a plus.

Corporate Culture

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Performance‑based incentives
• Opportunities for career advancement as the retail concept grows

Contact Liz Crompton at 416.410.5316 x6 or submit your resume in confidence below.

Seniority level

• Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Purchasing and Supply Chain

Industries

• Retail