Assistant Buyer Womenswear

SSENSE; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A global technology platform is seeking a highly motivated Assistant Buyer for the Womenswear department. In this role, you will manage a brand portfolio, support the Senior Buyer, and collaborate with various departments while achieving sales and profit objectives. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree, 1-2 years of relevant experience, strong analytical skills, and proficiency in Excel. Join a dynamic team offering excellent benefits and opportunities in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Extended health and dental benefits

Parental top up program

Generous Employee Discount

Access to telemedicine

Savings and retirement plan matching

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in a buying role preferred.
• Strong foundation in retail math and analytical capabilities.
• Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Manage brand portfolio and achieve sales objectives.
• Collaborate across departments to optimize product presentation.
• Create and maintain purchase orders following departmental standards.
• Build strong vendor relationships and negotiate terms.
• Generate weekly sales reports and analyze performance metrics.

Skills

Analytical skills

Vendor relationship-building

Retail math proficiency

Communication skills

Microsoft Excel

Bilingual (French and English)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Job description

Company Description

SSENSE is a global technology platform operating at the intersection of culture, community, and commerce. Headquartered in Montreal, it features a mix of established and emerging luxury brands across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, and Everything Else™. SSENSE has garnered critical acclaim as both an e-commerce engine and a producer of cultural content, generating an average of 100 million monthly page views.

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and analytical Assistant Buyer for our Womenswear department. The person will support the Senior Buyer in managing a defined brand portfolio, execute departmental strategy, and contribute to achieving sales, profit, and market share objectives. This role requires an exceptional eye for industry trends, strong vendor relationship-building skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, data‑driven environment.

What You Will Do:

• Portfolio Performance & Operations Management: Achieve pre‑set seasonal budgets, margins, and sell‑through goals for a defined portfolio of managed brands. This includes managing day‑to‑day in‑season business operations such as repeats and returns, ensuring efficient execution of business deliverables.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Serve as a key link between buying and other departments. This involves building cross‑departmental relationships and liaising with the Studio, Marketing, Logistics, and Planning teams to ensure optimal product presentation, seamless delivery, and alignment on seasonal budget execution and growth opportunities.
• Purchase Order (PO) Creation and Maintenance: Ensure all purchase orders are entered in a timely manner and adhere to department standards. This includes reviewing order confirmations, resolving any discrepancies quickly, and collaborating closely with Buying Coordinators to prioritize and oversee administrative tasks.
• Strategic Vendor Relations and Negotiation: Act as a brand ambassador to build strong, long‑term relationships with suppliers. This responsibility involves learning and executing the seasonal purchasing strategy, selecting products aligned with the brand message, developing negotiation skills for onboarding new brands, and attaining preferential terms (e.g., early delivery, exclusive launches, swaps) to meet sales goals.
• Business Reporting and Analysis: Generate accurate weekly sales data reports for the Womenswear Buying team and produce vendor‑facing reports. This analysis is essential for gauging year‑to‑date sales performance against the plan and ensuring the business remains on track with its key metrics.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• A minimum of 1–2 years of experience in a buying role, with a preference for experience in a multi‑brand ready‑to‑wear environment.
• Strong foundation in retail math and highly analytical capabilities.
• Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in both French and English.

What Sets You Apart:

• Brand Understanding: Developed understanding of the SSENSE perspective.
• Relationship Building: Credible with a solid track record building relationships internally and externally.
• Adaptability: Entrepreneurial spirit and comfortable with hyper growth in a fast‑paced environment.
• Problem‑Solving: Resourceful and solution‑oriented.

Why Join Us:

• Extended health and dental benefits, including comprehensive mental health programs and coverage.
• Parental top up program.
• Generous Employee Discount.
• Access to telemedicine and employee and family assistance program.
• Savings and retirement plan matching contributions.
• Gender affirmation coverage.
• Opportunity to work with cutting edge technologies and an innovative team that’s pushing the boundaries of technology.

SSENSE is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you need special accommodations, let us know. We will do our best to accommodate you!