Assistant Buyer - Gifting & Accessories

Jobswipe Premium; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A cultural and creative organisation in central London is seeking a freelance assistant/junior buyer to manage product development across a variety of gifts and stationery. This hands-on role involves collaborating with teams and suppliers to deliver quality products while balancing creativity with commercial considerations. Suitable candidates should have relevant experience and be immediately available for an initial 3-month term.

Benefits

Competitive hourly rate

Paid holiday entitlement

Opportunity to join a pension scheme

Qualifications

• Prior experience in a buying/product development role, ideally within gift, stationery, or accessories.
• Strong knowledge of sourcing and production processes with UK and overseas suppliers.
• Ability to manage multiple product categories simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver seasonal product ranges across gifting and homeware.
• Manage the full product lifecycle from concept to final delivery.
• Collaborate with internal teams for product alignment.

Skills

Product development experience

Supplier management

Excellent communication

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Tools

Microsoft Office

Microsoft NAV

Job description

We're looking for a freelance assistant/junior buyer to join the retail team of a cultural and creative organisation based in central London, working across a diverse range of gifts, design-led homeware, and stationery. This is a temporary role for an initial 3 months. Suitable candidates must be immediately available and not on notice.

This is a hands‑on, end‑to‑end buying & product development role, working closely with cross‑functional teams and external suppliers to bring thoughtful, commercially‑minded products to life - all rooted in creativity, storytelling, and quality.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver seasonal and campaign‑based product ranges across gifting, homeware, and stationery.
• Manage the full product lifecycle - from concept and supplier briefing through to final delivery.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure product alignment with marketing, merchandising, and creative strategies.
• Support packaging development and ensure all specs, artwork, and product information are accurate and production‑ready.
• Maintain product trackers, timelines, and costings with close attention to detail and commercial awareness.
• Research trends and product innovations to inform development direction and suggest new ideas.
• Contribute to sustainability initiatives and supplier data collection where needed.

Qualifications

• Prior experience in a buying/product development role, ideally within gift, stationery, accessories, and jewellery.
• Strong knowledge of sourcing and production processes, with experience working with UK and overseas suppliers.
• Confident managing timelines, critical paths, and multiple product categories simultaneously.
• Excellent communication, problem‑solving and organisational skills.
• A strong eye for product, with good aesthetic judgement and attention to quality and detail.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to balance creativity with margin and price considerations.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; knowledge of Microsoft NAV is a bonus.

Compensation and Benefits

As a freelancer you will receive a competitive hourly rate, paid weekly, alongside paid holiday entitlement and the opportunity to join a pension scheme.