Assistant Buyer

Oliver Bonas; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking an Assistant Buyer for their Fashion Buying team. This role involves contributing to the Buying cycle, collaborating with the Fashion team, and ensuring timely delivery of the product range. The position offers hybrid working and a supportive environment focused on collaboration and creativity.

Benefits

Generous employee discount up to 50% off

Free access to employee assistance programme

Flexible holiday – 30 days

Annual discretionary profit related bonus

Free membership for Health Cash Plan

Auto-enrolment into pension plan

Free access to onsite gym

Cycle to work scheme

Quarterly free lunch

Enhanced parental leave

Qualifications

• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members.
• Strong product development experience.
• Fashion / knitwear experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to all aspects of the Buying cycle.
• Negotiate cost prices and delivery terms with suppliers.
• Compile weekly sales report and collate stock information.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Analytical Skills

Attention to Detail

Adaptability

Education

Degree in Fashion or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

We are looking for an Assistant Buyer to join our Fashion Buying team our Support Office on a 12 month fixed term contract.

As an Assistant Buyer at OB you will contribute to all aspects of the Buying cycle; from creative product development, range building and trade, to price negotiation.

You will play an integral role in delivering the department strategy, working in collaboration with the wider Fashion team to ensure the range is delivered on time.

Our Support Office is based in Tolworth, near Chessington, only a 30-minute journey from London Waterloo. We offer hybrid working with a split of 3 days in the office and 2 days home working per week, and are open to having conversations about working flexibly.

A bit about us …

At Oliver Bonas (OB), our values of Work Hard, Play Hard & Be Kind are integral to everything we do. Collaboration, imagination, curiosity, and teamwork are key to our success, and everyone has their part to play in making OB a special place to work.

Having fun is key, and a playful and positive approach creates an optimistic environment. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we are serious about what we do.

Our team knows their stuff. They’re confident and creative and unafraid to challenge convention to find solutions, taking accountability for their actions, but always with kindness and humility.

More about the role …

An OB Assistant Buyer will:

• Research and work with the Design team to develop product ranges in line with the department strategy and overall company strategy, taking time to understand and fully immersing yourself in the product brand brief
• Assist your line manager with research and present new trend-led developments which extend and evolve existing collections
• Negotiate cost prices, delivery terms, packaging, and level of business with suppliers
• Oversee the Buyers Administrative Assistant to ensure orders are accurately recorded on the system and the PO is with the supplier in a timely manner
• Take responsibility for the critical path ensuring product is brought into the business on time
• Support with supplier visits
• Approve all lab dips, bulk fabrics, trims, prints and positioning
• Work on range boards and assist with developing the pricing architecture
• Develop the OB brand to maximise exclusivity
• Maintain regular communication with relevant departments including PR and Marketing, Warehouse, QC, Shipping, Design and Merchandising
• Liaise with the Merchandising team to ensure correct size ratios are ordered
• Organise and attend sign off meetings with Merchandising, Senior Managers and Directors
• Attend relevant fit sessions and work with the Garment Technologists
• Compile weekly sales report and collate information on stock and production availability

Bonas Benefits:

• Generous employee discount up to 50% off all OB products
• Free access to our 24 hour employee assistance programme with Care First – offering financial, emotional and vocational support
• Flexible holiday – 30 days (including bank holidays) – increasing to 35 days with length of service
• Annual discretionary profit related bonus scheme
• Free membership for our Westfield Health Cash Plan or Private Medical
• Auto-enrolment into our pension plan
• Free access to our onsite gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Refer a Friend incentive
• Quarterly free lunch
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Voice network and EDI team
• Mental Health First Aider support
• Education and support throughout 360L eLearning platform

What we look for:

• Experience of managing or mentoring junior team members
• Ideally currently working at Assistant Buyer level
• Fashion / knitwear experience preferred
• Strong product development experience
• Effective communicator with strong negotiation and presentation skills
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to structure and develop reports
• Good attention to detail
• Approachable and adaptable to change
• A good understanding of the OB brand and customer
• Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
• PC literate with a knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at OB

At Oliver Bonas, our promise is to do our bit to make living a joyful experience and give cause for optimism. This promise is central to our work in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). To bring joy to others, we must first ensure everyone at OB feels valued, included and most importantly, can be themselves at work.

It is important to us that our brand reflects wider society and the communities in which we operate. As a result, we welcome all eligible applicants for this role however we are particularly interested in speaking to eligible candidates from the Black, Asian & Mixed Heritage communities.

Oliver Bonas is a Disability Confident Committed employer under the Disability Confident employer scheme.

To read more about our ED&I commitments, head over to the EDI page on our website: https://www.oliverbonas.com/meet-the-team/diversity