Assistant Buyer

Smallworld Accessories Limited; Lewes; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

A day off for your birthday

Health insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Learning & development platform

Lifestyle and savings discounts

Job summary

Smallworld Accessories Limited is expanding its Buying team in Lewes. The role focuses on owning ranges from planning through to launch and trade, working with Buying, Design and Merchandising to turn insights into successful product lines.

The candidate will partner with suppliers on samples, costs and delivery, using sales and margin data to drive opportunities and support commercial decisions. A senior assistant buyer track is expected.

Qualifications

• Established Assistant Buyer or ready to operate at Senior Assistant Buyer level.
• Strong experience in fashion buying.
• Confident with suppliers, highly organised and able to juggle priorities.

Responsibilities

• Build strong ranges informed by fashion, customer insight and performance
• Work directly with suppliers across samples, costings, negotiation and delivery
• Use sales, stock, margin and competitor insight to spot opportunities and support trading decisions
• Manage purchase orders and critical paths, keeping activity moving to plan
• Bring fresh thinking to creative and trading meetings, while supporting the development of a Buyer’s Admin Assistant

Skills

Fashion buying

Merchandising

Supplier negotiation

Range planning

Job description

Love fashion. Know product. Think commercially.

If spotting the next trend comes naturally to you, you have a strong instinct for what customers will want next and enjoy turning that instinct into ranges that perform, this could be one to explore.

We’re Smallworld Accessories, a market-leading fashion accessories concession partner working with some of the UK’s best-known retailers, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Next. Our products reach customers across more than 1,500 stores throughout the UK and, as our business continues to grow, we’re expanding our Buying team.

Jewellery, hair accessories, sunglasses, belts, children’s accessories, Back to School, licensed products and seasonal collections – the list goes on. Behind it all is a talented team working together to get the right products into stores nationwide.

From idea to product

Working closely with Buying, Design and Merchandising, this is a hands-on role with ownership within your category and involvement across the product lifecycle – from range planning through to launch and trade.

The role will see you:

• Build strong ranges informed by fashion, customer insight and performance
• Work directly with suppliers across samples, costings, negotiation and delivery
• Use sales, stock, margin and competitor insight to spot opportunities and support trading decisions
• Manage purchase orders and critical paths, keeping activity moving to plan
• Bring fresh thinking to creative and trading meetings, while supporting the development of a Buyer’s Admin Assistant

What will you bring?

We’re looking for an established Assistant Buyer, or someone ready to operate at Senior Assistant Buyer level, with strong experience within fashion Buying and a proven track record of building and trading successful ranges. Someone who lives and breathes fashion, stays tuned into what’s happening in the market and understands the numbers behind great Buying. Confidence with suppliers, strong organisation and the ability to juggle priorities in a busy environment will all matter here.

Why Smallworld?

We’re serious about quality and responsible sourcing, alongside creating a supportive and collaborative workplace where people are encouraged to take ownership and keep developing.

You can also expect:

• A day off for your birthday
• Health insurance – subject to eligibility criteria
• Employee Assistance Programme – confidential support for your health and wellbeing
• Learning & development platform – build your own learning journey with access to online training
• Lifestyle and savings discounts

Our modern Head Office is based in Lewes, a beautiful Sussex town with great connections to Brighton and beyond, around a 10-minute walk from Lewes station, with some on-site parking available.