Buyer

Debenhams-Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

boohoo in Manchester is seeking a Senior Buyer for Womenswear to own a fast-paced product category, building trend-led ranges that excite customers and hit sales, margin and stock targets. You will lead the junior Buying team, forge strong supplier partnerships, and manage the critical path from concept to launch, collaborating with Design, Merchandising, Sourcing and Creative.

The role demands strong industry knowledge, data-driven decision making, and a passion for delivering compelling

Qualifications

• Strong experience as a Buyer in womenswear fashion.
• Ability to translate trends into commercial ranges.
• Analytical skills to turn trading data into actions.
• Proven experience building ranges and delivering against sales, margin and stock targets.
• Strong negotiation and supplier-management skills.
• Comfortable making fast-paced decisions and adapting to priorities.
• Collaborative when working with Design, Merchandising and Sourcing.
• Experience leading and developing junior team members.
• Highly organised with multiple priorities and tight timelines.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day performance and direction of the department.
• Build category strategy aligned with customer and brand direction.
• Lead and develop junior Buying team.
• Work across Buying, Merchandising, Design, Sourcing, Garment Technology, Marketing and Studio.
• Use customer insight and market trends to make commercial decisions.
• Trade: maximise sales, margin and stock efficiency.
• Range building and sign-off with Head of Buying and Merchandising.
• Lead product development from concept through to launch.
• Oversee critical path and ensure on-time orders.
• Negotiate cost prices, lead times and delivery terms with suppliers.
• Ensure responsible sourcing and compliance throughout the process.

Skills

Buyer experience

Womenswear fashion

Leadership

Negotiation

Data-driven decisions

Cross-functional collaboration

Fast-paced environment

Job description

THE ROLE

As a Buyer within boohoo Womenswear, you will take ownership of a fast-paced product category, building commercially strong, trend-led ranges that excite our customer and deliver against sales, margin and stock objectives. Working closely with Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, Garment Technology and Creative, you will use customer insight, trading data and market awareness to identify opportunities and bring the right product to market at speed. You will lead and develop the junior members of the Buying team, create strong supplier partnerships and ensure the critical path is managed effectively from initial concept through to product launch.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Take ownership of the day-to-day performance and direction of your department.
• Build a clear category strategy aligned with the boohoo customer, brand direction and commercial objectives.
• Lead, motivate and develop the junior Buying team, setting clear priorities and supporting career development.
• Work collaboratively across Buying, Merchandising, Design, Sourcing, Garment Technology, Marketing and Studio.
• Use customer insight, product performance and market trends to make confident, commercially focused decisions.

Trade:

• Review daily and weekly trading performance, identifying clear actions to maximise sales, margin and stock efficiency.
• Understand best and worst sellers, taking prompt action on repeats, new reactions, promotions and markdowns.
• Work closely with Merchandising to manage departmental KPIs, intake, stock cover and open-to-buy.
• Ensure spend is focused on the strongest opportunities while maintaining a consistent flow of relevant newness.
• Monitor competitor activity, social trends and customer behaviour to identify emerging product and pricing opportunities.
• Review returns and customer feedback with relevant teams, using insight to improve future ranges.
• Communicate trade performance, risks and opportunities clearly in departmental and senior trading meetings.
• Creative and customer:
• Own the product vision and development direction for the department.
• Work closely with Design to translate relevant womenswear trends into distinctive, commercial product for the boohoo customer.
• Balance fashion newness, proven volume lines and key seasonal moments within the range.
• Use social, cultural and competitor insight to identify emerging trends and react at speed.
• Partner with Marketing, Creative and Studio teams to support campaigns, product launches and key category stories.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the boohoo customer, ensuring product decisions reflect their needs, behaviours and expectations.

Range building and sign-off:

• Lead range building and selection in partnership with the Head of Buying, Design and
• Merchandising.
• Present clear, commercially supported recommendations at range reviews and sign-off meetings.
• Ensure the range has the right balance of product, price, colour, fabrication, fit and occasion.
• Identify hero products, volume opportunities and key fashion statements for each delivery.
• Maintain visibility of the range throughout the season, adapting plans in response to trade and customer insight.

Product development:

• Lead product development across the category, from initial concept through to launch.
• Work with Design and suppliers to develop the right fabrics, shapes, colours and details at the target cost.
• Manage both short-lead and longer-lead product opportunities, ensuring the department can react quickly while maintaining a strong seasonal framework.
• Brief product to the most appropriate suppliers based on capability, speed, quality, cost and capacity.
• Ensure regular product reviews, fit sessions and range build meetings are scheduled and actioned.
• Work closely with Garment Technology and suppliers to maintain product quality, fit and consistency.

Systems and critical path:

• Ensure product, order and supplier information is accurate and maintained across relevant systems.
• Oversee the departmental critical path, identifying risks early and agreeing clear actions with the team and suppliers.
• Make sure orders, approvals, samples and delivery milestones are progressed on time.
• Support the team in using systems, reporting and data effectively to make informed decisions.
• Continuously look for ways to simplify processes, improve visibility and increase speed to market.

Supplier management and sourcing:

• Build strong, collaborative relationships with the supplier base through regular meetings and clear performance feedback.
• Negotiate cost prices, lead times, minimum order quantities and delivery terms to support sales and margin targets.
• Work with suppliers to improve speed, flexibility, product quality and first-time-right development.
• Manage capacity and critical-path risks, escalating issues promptly and agreeing practical recovery plans.
• Understand the country-of-origin and supplier mix across the category, balancing commercial opportunity with responsible sourcing requirements.
• Partner with Sourcing to identify and onboard suppliers that strengthen the department’s product capabilities.
• Complete cross-costing and benchmarking exercises, turning findings into clear commercial actions.
• Ensure responsible sourcing, ethical standards and product compliance are considered throughout the buying process.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Strong experience in a Buyer-level role within womenswear fashion, ideally in a fast-paced digital or multichannel retail environment.
• A strong product eye with the ability to translate emerging trends into commercial ranges for the boohoo customer.
• Confident analytical skills and the ability to turn trading data and customer insight into clear actions.
• Proven experience of building ranges and delivering against sales, margin and stock targets.
• Strong negotiation and supplier-management skills, with a clear understanding of cost, quality, lead time and capacity.
• Comfortable making decisions at pace and adapting quickly as priorities change.
• Collaborative and confident when working with Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, Garment
• Technology, Creative and senior stakeholders.
• Experience of leading, coaching and developing junior team members.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain momentum under pressure.
• Clear, engaging communication skills and confidence presenting product and commercial recommendations.
• A proactive, inclusive leadership style and a genuine passion for boohoo, womenswear fashion and the customer.