Buying Admin Assistant

University of the Arts London; London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for a proactive individual to join their Buying team, focusing on product management and supplier liaison. This role involves ensuring accurate product information, managing samples, and providing analytical support to enhance retail performance. The ideal candidate will possess strong system skills, particularly in Excel and Dynamics, and a relevant degree in Business or Textiles. Join a dynamic environment where your contributions will directly impact product development and sales performance, making this a fantastic opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Qualifications

• Experience in product management and supplier liaison.
• Strong analytical skills to support performance reviews.

Responsibilities

• Manage product line lists and ensure accurate setup in the system.
• Provide analytical support for product and retail performance reviews.

Skills

Excel

Word

Outlook

Product Management

Supplier Liaison

Analytical Skills

Education

Relevant Business Degree

Textile Degree

Tools

Dynamics

Job description

To assist the Buying team in all aspects, with particular focus on sample management, product data management, supplier liaison and general administration.

What you’ll be doing

Product management

• To ensure that all product line lists are set up accurately and maintained on the system in line with departmental deadlines.
• To ensure that core product information and attributes such as price, quantity, delivery date, freight details, theme, currency assumptions and supplier are correctly maintained.
• To be responsible for product management and new season product set up on Dynamics.
• To assist with the setting up of orders as required at peak times.
• To ensure that the key assumptions behind the critical path are understood and to ensure all critical dates are maintained.
• To organise and manage receipt of all samples, ensure they are readily available and correctly labelled.
• To support the QA team in sealing sample progress, chasing results and filing as required.
• To ensure that our supplier details are fully up to date, logging current performance issues.
• Assist in the preparation of product brief sheets in a timely manner, chasing suppliers as required.
• Assist in co-ordinating the development and arrival of all samples and necessary information to enable selection meetings to run efficiently.
• To develop a robust understanding of the weekly pack and sales by line reports, in order to identify trading risks and opportunities across all channels.
• To undertake store visits as and when required – ideally store visits should be undertaken at least every three months.
• Undertake supplier visits and meetings to improve knowledge of the business.
• To undertake competitor visits on a regular basis and feedback any relevant points, proposing opportunities on product development.
• To understand the critical dates and deadlines in both the planning and trading process.
• To consistently deliver excellent standards of customer service.
• To understand the key sales, profit and margin drivers across the business and the impact of your role on these.

Analytical support

• To provide all necessary ad-hoc analysis to support product, retail and Direct performance reviews and to also improve commercial understanding of the Business.
• To develop a thorough working knowledge of the Dynamics system and assist in the maintenance of the system.
• To maintain accurate and tidy filing systems at all times.

Training and development

• To instigate improvements as appropriate to working practices and systems.
• To adopt a positive and proactive approach to training and development, to participate fully in all team related activities.
• To assist in the training of new BA’s joining the business.
• To ensure that stores, web team and call centre receive product communication as necessary, challenge opportunities to improve sales performance.

Skills and Experience Required

The skills & experience that you’ll need

• System skills including Excel, Word and Outlook.
• Relevant Business / Textile degree would be desirable