Buying Admin Assistant - Outdoors

JD GROUP; Bury; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading outdoor retailer in Bury is seeking a Buying Admin Assistant to support the Apparel Buying team in sourcing and managing outdoor products. The role involves handling product samples, maintaining data, and ensuring alignment with market trends. Ideal candidates will have a passion for outdoor activities, strong organizational skills, and a good knowledge of Microsoft Office. This full-time role offers a chance to grow within a dynamic retail environment focused on inspiring outdoor experiences.

Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint.
• Ability to prioritise workload and tasks.
• Previous Retail experience in an established Outdoor Retailer is advantageous but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the delivery of analysis and prepare future strategies.
• Provide administrative support for the buying team.
• Maintain supplier database and manage buying team samples.
• Support buyers and liaise with product development teams as necessary.
• Track competitor activity and document pricing and promotions.

Skills

Passion for Outdoor activities

Retail experience

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Prioritisation

Working relationships

Flexible working approach

Job description

Buying Admin Assistant – Outdoors

Location: JD Group HQ (Bury, Greater Manchester)

Department: Buying

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Role Overview

As a Buying Assistant at JD Outdoors, you'll support the Apparel Buying team in developing a compelling product range that meets customer demand and enhances the JD Outdoors brand. Working alongside Buyers and Merchandisers, you'll assist in sourcing, selecting, and managing products across outdoor categories, ensuring ranges are commercially viable, on-trend, and aligned with business goals.

This role demands strong organisation, attention to detail, and a passion for outdoors and retail. You'll handle product samples, maintain accurate system data, liaise with suppliers, and manage critical path timelines from concept to launch. Staying informed on competitor activity, customer trends, and market developments, you'll help create innovative ranges that inspire adventure and drive growth in a competitive landscape.

This position is ideal for an ambitious, commercially aware individual eager to build a career in retail buying within a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

What You'll Be Doing:

Planning

• Assisting with the delivery of analysis and preparation of future strategies
• Providing administrative support for the buying team across all relevant systems
• Ensuring accurate data entry within the relevant critical path
• Seasonal preparation of photographic range catalogues
• Gaining an understanding of the top‑line company strategy and how it affects my department

Delivering

• Developing an understanding of the outdoor market, suppliers and competitors
• Maintaining supplier database, workbooks, price lists etc.
• Managing buying team branded samples – ordering, recording, returns.
• Ensuring sample availability for marketing, online, photography etc.
• Developing and maintaining an excellent relationship with Suppliers
• Gaining and maintaining an understanding of the systems and processes utilised within JD Outdoors
• Support buyers / liaise with product development teams as necessary
• Support online teams as necessary (branded assets, product data, copy)

Trading

• Supporting trading meetings as appropriate – sales samples, new lines
• Tracking competitor activity and document ranging, pricing, promotion etc.

Teamwork

• Share best practice within my team
• Give and receive regular feedback
• ‘Can do’ attitude
• Learn from our mistakes and help it shape our future plans
• We strive for a ‘right first time’ approach in all we do
• We are all responsible for the culture of our office – if we don't like something, we change it.

Skills/Experience/Knowledge:

• Passion for Outdoor activities and product would be advantageous;
• Previous Retail experience within an established Outdoor Retailer would be advantageous however not essential.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint.
• Ability to prioritise workload and tasks.
• Ability to make working relationships both internally and externally.
• Flexible working approach during peak periods of the year.

The Company:

At GO Outdoors our purpose is strong and clear; “to inspire and equip everyone for life outdoors”. That’s because we passionately believe in the positive benefits of the outdoors, whether that be the daily dog walk or hiking Ben Nevis, horse riding or cold‑water therapy, we provide the best equipment for all outdoor activities, always at the best price guaranteed!

Our values aren't just posters on the wall, we live them every day; ‘One Team ‘we are stronger together’, ‘Responsibility ‘we take ownership’, ‘Passion ‘we believe in what we do’ and ‘Integrity ‘we do the right thing’. Clear values which help us to fulfil our mission to be ‘the nations favourite outdoor retailer’.