Buyer

Oliver Bonas; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A popular fashion retailer in Greater London seeks a Buyer to lead the Clothing team. This role involves defining and delivering the clothing buying strategy while collaborating with multiple teams. Candidates should have experience at Buyer level, a passion for the brand, and strong leadership skills. The position offers a hybrid working model, competitive salary, and benefits like a generous employee discount and a pension plan. Join a vibrant team committed to equity and inclusion.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Generous employee discount

Free access to onsite gym

Flexible holiday – up to 35 days

Annual discretionary bonus scheme

Auto-enrolment into pension plan

Cycle-to-work scheme

Mental Health First Aider support

Quarterly free lunch

Qualifications

• Experience at Buyer level on clothing preferred.
• Love for the OB brand and product.
• Leadership and team management experience.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Adaptable and self-motivated.
• Creative with commercial awareness.
• Deadline-oriented work style.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the department, working closely with design and merchandising teams.
• Set clear, achievable department strategy highlighting growth, decline, risk, and opportunity areas.
• Research product ranges aligned with company vision.
• Deliver commercial clothing collections on time.
• Collaborate with Design team for unique collections.
• Work with Merchandising Team on weekly trade analysis.
• Lead and develop the Clothing Buying team.

Job description

As a Buyer at OB you will work with our Senior Buyers and Head of Buying to help define and deliver the clothing buying strategy. This role requires a strong affinity with the OB brand and a capability to push boundaries with our fashion collection. The position involves managing and developing the Clothing team while working collaboratively with Fashion Design, Merchandising, and the wider Fashion Buying team to ensure timely and seamless range delivery. Reporting to the Head of Buying, you will manage a team of 2. Our Support Office is based in Tolworth, near Chessington, only a 30‑minute journey from London Waterloo. We offer hybrid working with a split of 3 days in the office and 2 days home working per week, and are open to having conversations about working flexibly.

A bit about us [...] At Oliver Bonas (OB), our values of Work Hard, Play Hard & Be Kind are integral to everything we do. Collaboration, imagination, curiosity, and teamwork are key to our success, and everyone has their part to play in making OB a special place to work. Having fun is key, and a playful and positive approach creates an optimistic environment. We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we are serious about what we do. Our team knows their stuff. They're confident and creative and unafraid to challenge convention to find solutions, taking accountability for their actions, but always with kindness and humility.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the department, working closely with design and merchandising teams to drive new developments and department sales.
• Set clear, achievable department strategy highlighting growth, decline, risk, and opportunity areas.
• Research and coordinate product ranges aligned with company vision and design direction, taking time to fully understand and immerse yourself in the product brand brief.
• Deliver commercial clothing collections on time and within margin targets.
• Collaborate with Design team for unique and innovative collections.
• Work with Merchandising Team on weekly trade analysis.
• Coordinate new product range releases across stores and e‑commerce.
• Manage product critical path and delivery timelines.
• Approve lap dips, bulk fabrics, trims, and prints.
• Optimize department sales through product knowledge and business understanding.
• Conduct competitor analysis and maintain supplier relationships.
• Monitor administrative systems and conduct warehouse/store visits.
• Lead and develop the Clothing Buying team.
• Conduct progress chats and set developmental targets.
• Collaborate with Garment Technologist on fit and quality standards.
• Maintain team motivation and critical path adherence.
• Develop multi‑product clothing ranges with designers.
• Attend print meetings and fit sessions.
• Work with Merchandise team on commercial planning.
• Ensure product quality and brand alignment.
• Maintain and develop supplier relationships, reviewing performance and strategy.
• Source new suppliers and manage existing partnerships.
• Represent Fashion department in internal meetings.

Qualifications

• Experience at Buyer level on clothing preferred.
• Love for the OB brand and product.
• Multi‑product area experience.
• Leadership and team management experience.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Adaptable and self‑motivated.
• Understanding of OB customer.
• Creative with commercial awareness.
• Print expertise.
• Deadline‑oriented work style.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite.

Benefits

• Competitive salary plus benefits (Full time, Temporary); Bonas benefits.
• Generous employee discount up to 50% off all OB products.
• Free access to the 24‑hour employee assistance programme with Care First — offering financial, emotional and vocational support.
• Flexible holiday – 33 days (including bank holidays), increasing to 35 days with length of service.
• Annual discretionary profit‑related bonus scheme.
• Free membership for our Westfield Health Cash Plan or Private Medical.
• Auto‑enrolment into our pension plan.
• Free access to our onsite gym.
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Refer a Friend incentive.
• Quarterly free lunch.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Voice network and EDI team.
• Mental Health First Aider support.
• Education and support through 360L e‑Learning platform.

At Oliver Bonas, our promise is to do our bit to make living a joyful experience and give cause for optimism. This promise is central to our work in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). To bring joy to others, we must first ensure everyone at OB feels valued, included and most importantly, can be themselves at work.

Oliver Bonas is a Disability Confident Committed employer under the Disability Confident employer scheme. To read more about our EDI commitments, head over to the EDI page on our website: https://www.oliverbonas.com/meet-the-team/diversity