Assistant Buyer

Mountain Warehouse; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Holiday allowance

Staff discount

Pension scheme

Job summary

Mountain Warehouse in London is seeking a Senior BAA or Assistant Buyer to support seasonal range planning and drive commercially viable merchandise for global markets. You will manage the critical path, coordinate with suppliers and cross‑functional teams to deliver on time and within budget.

The role offers hybrid working in London, competitive benefits and opportunities to grow within a fast‑growing retailer focused on value and quality outdoor products.

Qualifications

• Strong IT and Excel skills are important for managing ranges and supplier data.
• Good interpersonal skills to build and manage relationships with colleagues and suppliers.
• Commercial awareness and knowledge of market trends and customer needs.

Responsibilities

• Assist in seasonal range plan development; analyse buying patterns, forecast sales, present findings clearly; include size and colour mix ratio.
• Buy for key territories UK, EU, NA, NZ, AUS.
• Work with Head of Buying to maximise profits and deliver a commercially viable, competitive range.
• Regularly review stock, sales and orders; respond quickly to meet sales, stock and profit targets.
• Maintain relationships with suppliers.
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure project delivery.
• Assist promotions; identify slow-moving stock; suggest markdowns and coordinate promotions and in-store clearances.
• Create product style books and update trims, fabrics and packaging; liaise with graphic designer for brand consistency.
• Manage the critical path from development to delivery; monitor orders, maintain schedules and deadlines.
• Manage sample process ensuring designs meet brand requirements.
• Approve lab dips and trims; provide feedback to suppliers.
• Train and mentor the BAA in the team.
• Approve PTS for shipments.
• Attend fit meetings with QC; suggest on fit, styling and trims; sign off samples.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Negotiation

Tools

Excel

Job description

Mountain Warehouse is a rapidly growing global retailer, with over 430 stores across the UK, Ireland, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, alongside a strong and expanding online presence. Since our founding, we’ve built a reputation for offering high-quality outdoor products at great value, supporting customers in enjoying the outdoors wherever they are.

Application Deadline: 1 October 2026

Department: Buying

Location: London

Mountain Warehouse is a rapidly growing global retailer, with over 430 stores across the UK, Ireland, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, alongside a strong and expanding online presence. Since our founding, we’ve built a reputation for offering high-quality outdoor products at great value, supporting customers in enjoying the outdoors wherever they are.

Key Responsibilities

• Assisting in seasonal range plan development - analysing customer buying patterns, forecasting sales and predicting future trends, presenting findings in reports and presentations in a clear and logical format, this will include ratio calculations for size and colour
• Buying for our key territories which include the UK, EU, NA, NZ, AUS
• Work with your Head of buying to maximize profits and provide a commercially viable range of merchandise at competitive prices.
• Assisting in regularly reviewing stock, sales and orders and react with necessary urgency to ensure sales, stock & profit targets are achieved
• Maintaining relationships with suppliers
• Liaising with other departments within the organisation to ensure projects are completed
• Participating in promotional activities, helping the buying and merchandising team to identify slow moving stock, suggesting marks downs or promotions, as well as coordinating promotions and clearance events in store
• Creating style books for products, identify when to update trim labels, fabrications and packaging, and liaise with graphic designer to ensure a consistent brand image
• Managing the critical path, monitoring all orders from initial product development through to delivery, ensuring the smooth running of the development process, maintaining delivery schedules and key deadlines throughout
• Managing sample process ensuring all designs and fabrications are executed correctly, meeting brand requirements
• Lab dip and trim approvals and feeding back to suppliers
• Training and mentoring the BAA in the team
• Approving PTS, for shipments
• Attend fit meetings with QC, making suggestions on fit, styling, trims etc.., as well as signing off sample

We Would Like To Meet Someone Who Is

• You will have relevant experience at Senior BAA or Assistant Buyer level within an own buy retailer
• Experience of fully managing the critical path for your department
• Be aware of competitors and help to try and keep MW the best value on the high street
• Confident approach to offer suggestions on the type and quantity of product for the department given the budgeted OTB
• Good interpersonal skills – able to build and manage relationships with colleagues and suppliers, communication is key at all times
• Strong IT skills most importantly in Excel or equivalent
• Commercial and keeps up to date and aware of market trends, changes in demand
• Able to fully understand customer needs and demands (e.g. price, quality, availability)
• Strong time management skills and able to prioritize as this is a never-ending job and there will always be more to be done

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Hybrid working, 3 - 4 days in London based office & 1-2 working from home
• Holiday allowance
• 50% staff discount & 25% for family and friends
• Pension scheme