Assistant Buyer

Halfords Group PLC; West Midlands Combined Authority; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retailer in the automotive industry is seeking an Assistant Buyer to lead the creation of competitive product ranges. This role involves collaborating across various teams to influence strategic decisions and ensure optimal performance. Ideal candidates should have experience in a similar role, be analytically minded, and thrive in fast-paced environments. The company offers a fair salary, discretionary bonuses, and hybrid working options.

Benefits

Annual discretionary bonus scheme

Employee discounts across products and services

Hybrid working policy

Qualifications

• Transferable experience in a similar Buying / Category role.
• Driven, hands-on, and results-focused.
• Ambitious and self-motivated, eager to grow.

Responsibilities

• Implement effective category strategies covering supplier management and stock management.
• Monitor and manage trading performance through rigorous planning and forecasting.
• Develop strong supplier partnerships to deliver procurement benefits.

Skills

Commercially savvy and highly analytical

Strong in planning and execution

Excellent communicator

Collaborative mindset

Job description

Apply now Job no: 559862
Work type: Full time
Site: Redditch
Categories: Buying
Location: Worcestershire
Salary: Competitive
Business Area: Halfords Support Centre

About us

At Halfords, our mission is to inspire and support a lifetime of motoring and cycling. As a specialist retailer, we lead the market through customer-driven innovation and a distinct product range. We are dedicated to providing our customers with an integrated, unique, and convenient service experience—from e-bike and electric vehicle servicing to on-demand solutions. Our commitment is to foster customer loyalty by offering compelling reasons to keep coming back to our stores, ensuring a lifetime of motoring and cycling enjoyment.

The teams at our Redditch Support Centre work with every other area of our business, putting them at the heart of the action and playing a key role in our success and growth. Everyone brings their individual knowledge and experience to work every day, working as one team to keep things moving smoothly.

If you’re willing to get stuck in, you’ll love it here too. So put yourself at the heart of a dynamic, fast-paced working environment where expertise and focus take people far.

About the role

We’re looking for passionate, detail-driven individuals to step into a key role at the core of our commercial engine. As an Assistant Buyer, you’ll play a vital part in building and delivering market-leading product ranges that hit the right price, at the right time, in the right way – helping us reach our financial and market share goals.

Working alongside an experienced Buyer, you’ll collaborate across the business – from providing customer insights to influencing planning cycles, driving value with Procurement, supporting ESG ambitions, and partnering with Stock, Digital, and Store Operations teams to ensure seamless execution across all channels.

If you’re ready to bring your commercial edge, collaborative mindset, and love for product to a role that truly makes an impact – this is your opportunity.

Key responsibilities

• Implement effective category strategies covering supplier management, buying, ranging, margin mix, promotional planning, merchandising, and stock management with a true multi-channel focus.
• Monitor and manage trading performance through rigorous planning and forecasting to meet revenue, margin, profit, and market share targets.
• Develop strong supplier partnerships and buying alliances to deliver procurement benefits.
• Drive progress on ESG targets including packaging, product sustainability, emissions, and science-based commitments
• Ensure accurate and timely product setup and data capture.
• Champion innovation across the category to keep the offer fresh and competitive.
• Monitor customer experience metrics and implement tactical actions when needed.
• Collaborate with operational and channel teams to maximise trading opportunities.
• Act as the product expert, working with proposition, procurement, and suppliers to deliver a market-leading, financially robust range.
• Support the customer team in shaping category strategy and propositions through insight and analysis.

About you

• Transferable experience in a similar Buying / Category role.
• Commercially savvy and highly analytical, with a sharp eye for data and detail.
• Driven, hands-on, and results-focused, with the energy and agility to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• A natural collaborator with a “can-do” mindset and the ability to work cross-functionally across teams and channels.
• Strong in planning and execution, with a pragmatic approach and relentless focus on delivering against targets
• An excellent communicator—clear, persuasive, and confident in influencing at all levels of the business.
• Ambitious and self-motivated, eager to grow, learn, and progress in a high-performance retail environment.
• A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, annual discretionary bonus scheme, pension, life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave.
• Commitment and dedication to your ongoing personal and professional development. We help you to own and grow your potential so you can be at your best in your current role and to support your future career aspirations.
• We offer hybrid working in our Support Centre, you will be based at our Support Centre 3 days a week with an optional 2 days working from home.
• You will have access to a wealth of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services.
• Wellbeing and inclusion are at the heart of our colleague experience. We offer resources and ongoing support to enhance your wellbeing at work and active Colleague Networks supporting inclusion initiatives across Halfords.

Not sure you meet all the criteria? We'd encourage you to take the wheel and apply anyway! At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for our colleagues. We're an equal opportunities employer and proud to welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family.

At Halfords, we operate a hybrid working policy with 3 days per week on-site at our Support Centre in Redditch Worcestershire.

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