Assistant Buyer Advanced - Women's Outerwear

Marks and Spencer; City Of London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-known retail brand in the UK seeks an Advanced Assistant Buyer to manage daily buying responsibilities. The role involves supporting the Senior Buyer, analyzing sales trends, and collaborating with global sourcing offices. Ideal candidates will have relevant buying experience and strong interpersonal skills, with a proactive attitude. Benefits include a generous colleague discount, holiday entitlement, and wellbeing support. Join us to become part of a dynamic, inclusive team pushing the retail industry forward.

Benefits

20% colleague discount

Competitive holiday entitlement

Discretionary bonus schemes

Defined Contribution Pension Scheme

Tailored induction and training

Wellbeing support including Virtual GP

Charity volunteer day

Qualifications

• Relevant buying experience with a major retailer.
• Experience leading costings and global sourcing.
• Outerwear experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day buying responsibilities independently.
• Support Senior Buyer in understanding M&S’s customer.
• Analyze historical sales to manage product mix.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Organization

Initiative

Product development

Job description

Summary

From Merchandising and Marketing – Product Development and Design, through to Supply Chain and Space Planning – our mission is to bring stylish wardrobe, home and beauty essentials to our customers via an easy, inspiring shopping experience online and in store that will delight them every time.

As we accelerate the transformation of our business to suit the changing needs of our customer, we need results‑orientated colleagues that not only have a passion for our product, but a strong team working ethos, creativity and a healthy commercial aim to join us on our journey.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office at least three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.

All the details

We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever‑evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special:

• After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive a 20 % colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third‑party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry‑leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you’re passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

What you’ll do

As an Advanced Assistant Buyer you will be responsible for managing the day‑to‑day buying responsibilities independently. You will demonstrate a strong initiative and have a solutions‑focused mindset whilst having a passion for product, fashion and executing the latest trends for the M&S customer. This is an amazing opportunity for an experienced AB who is looking to take on more responsibility and ownership in a product focused role!

Key accountabilities

• Support the Senior Buyer by displaying a clear understanding of M&S’s customer.
• Work with Design to interpret and adapt to market trends and direction.
• Analyse historical sales in line with trends and design direction to manage product mix parameters.
• Promote and support the collaboration with Sourcing Offices globally to help develop appropriate supply routes.
• Manage the BAA’s daily workload and critical path management.
• Actively participate in coordinating and presenting the range for sign‑off and effectively managing systemic elements of the buying process. Work with Buyer in setting and delivering the strategy for the department.

Who you are

Our ideal candidate has the following:

• Outerwear experience preferred but not required.
• Relevant buying experience working to established AB with a major retailer.
• Experience buying your own area – leading on costings, product development and global sourcing.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Highly organised and self‑motivated, positive attitude.
• Proactive in agreeing to take on Buyer responsibilities. Role model for BAAs and strong interpersonal skills, capable of managing vertically and laterally.

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.