Buyer - Apparel

JD SPORTS FASHION; Bury; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Personal development opportunities

Job summary

JD Sports Fashion is seeking an Experienced Buyer for a senior buying role based in Bury. You will collaborate with the Department Head and Buying Director to shape forward strategy, mentor junior team members, and curate product ranges across sports fashion brands.

You will represent the Buying function in cross-functional sessions, lead budget planning and OTB, and negotiate with brand partners to drive seasonal performance.

Qualifications

• Experienced Buyer or senior buying role
• Experience of buying Sports Fashion is advantageous
• Experience of buying branded goods is essential
• People development experience advantageous
• Strong understanding of current and upcoming sports fashion trends
• High degree of analytical and numerical skills
• Proficient in PowerPoint, Word, Excel

Responsibilities

• Build forward strategy with Department Head and Buying Director
• Mentor junior members of the buying team
• Represent Buying on fascia and category initiatives
• Attend appointments and curate product selections
• Lead product launches and trade shows participation
• Analyse trade with merchandising to hit KPIs and margins
• Negotiate with vendors and onboard new brands
• Forecast budgets and manage OTB across seasons

Skills

Analytical skills

Numerical skills

Budget forecasting

Presentation skills

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Excel

Independent working

Organisational skills

Trend analysis

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Responsibilities

• Work with the Department Head and Buying Director to build forward strategy and ensure implementation.


• Development and mentorship of junior members of the buying team


• Representing the Buying function on relevant fascia and category (tbc)


• Attending all appointments, with involvement in selection, editing and curation of product


• Attending all product launches throughout the year as specified


• Attending all relevant trade shows


• Market analysis/store visits


• Analysis and review of trade with the merchandising department to propose and drive actions for the week/seasons ahead ensuring KPI's and Margin targets are met.


• Vendor negotiation and New brand onboarding


• Being hyper vigilant on new brands opportunities and trends to diversify and drive department/category sales and ensure market relevancy


• Budget negotiation and planning within internal teams and external brands


• Negotiation with brands re distribution agreements


• Working independently in a creative and trend led environment


• Managing budgets and OTB on in seasons and forward budgets


• Present ranges and department strategy with department head to Buying Director and Merchandising Director.


• Preparation and presentation of performance in trade meetings


• Proposals to assist driving sales in your relevant department


• Stock management in conjunction with brands and merchandising team


• Cross functional collaboration to bring brands/departmental strategy to life. Extensive knowledge of our store base and website


• Strong presentation skills


• Confidence within own decisions and product selection. Comfortable in driving decisions on file and being accountable for all actions.


• Ability to act independently


• Extensive knowledge of product area and market


• Ability to look forward and predict trends both current and future


• Highly numerate and skilled within budget forecasting and planning


• Strong time management skills ensuring all business critical deadlines are met

Skills/Experience/Knowledge needed

• Experienced Buyer or currently in a senior buying role


• Experience of buying Sports Fashion is advantageous


• Experience of buying branded goods is essential


• People development experience advantageous


• Strong understanding and knowledge of current and upcoming sports fashion trends at a high street and premium level price point.


• Be able to exercise a high degree of analytical and numerical skills


• Fully literate in Microsoft Office: PowerPoint, Word, Excel


• Organisational skills are essential


• Be able to work under own initiative


• A creative and trend led individual

What we will offer you

• Established in 1981 with a single store in the Northwest of England, the JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with our colleagues working in stores across several retail fascias in many markets around the world. JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and has been a FTSE100 publicly quoted company since 2019 and continues to grow in the UK and internationally. We want to be the leading global omnichannel retailer in the sports and outdoor industry. To be a part of this successful company and help us to achieve this you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people-led, innovative and customer-focused organisation which provides operational excellence whilst identifying new areas of growth as part of our day to day objectives.


• We know our colleagues work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits including staff Discount On JD Group and other brands within the organisation and personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work. Thank you for your time #JD