Buying Administrator

Ironmongery Direct; Basildon; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Ironmongery Direct, a leading supplier of architectural ironmongery, seeks a Category Assistant. This dynamic role involves product development support, market research, and collaboration across teams to enhance product offerings. Ideal candidates are proactive and detail-oriented, with strong communication and organizational skills. Join a vibrant team committed to excellence and customer satisfaction.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus public Bank Holidays

Annual investment of 40 hours development & training

Subsidised Private Healthcare

Discretionary annual company performance bonus

Generous staff discount on products

Two paid volunteer days per year

Free onsite parking in Head Office

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.
• Experience with product data management is a plus.
• Enthusiastic, self-motivated, and willing to learn.

Responsibilities

• Support Category Managers with accuracy in mailers and web proofing.
• Conduct market and customer research for decision-making.
• Coordinate new product communication and manage image assets.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Organizational Skills

Multitasking

Education

Prior experience in a similar retail or product-focused role

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Us

At IronmongeryDirect, we've been a trusted name in architectural ironmongery for over 50 years. What started as a traditional ironmongery shop has since grown into the UK's leading direct supplier, delivering thousands of parcels each week. With a vast range of over 18,000 high-quality products available for next-day delivery, we're the reliable choice for tradespeople who value efficiency, expert advice, and top-tier service. If you're looking to be part of a dynamic, growing company that's built on a foundation of trust and excellence, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Category Assistant to join our dynamic Category team. In this role, you will support the development and execution of product ranges that resonate with our target customers. You'll collaborate with multiple internal teams-Merchandising, E-commerce, Marketing, Customer Services, Photography, and IT-to help deliver compelling, competitive, and well-communicated product offerings.

This is a varied role with great exposure across the business, ideal for someone with strong communication skills, a positive attitude, and a genuine interest in product and market dynamics.

About the Accountabilities

• Support Category Managers with mailers and web proofing to ensure accuracy and reduce customer queries.
• Conduct market, customer, and competitor research to inform decision-making and maintain a competitive edge.
• Coordinate new product communication, ensuring teams are informed and confident about upcoming launches.
• Organise supplier product days and assist in identifying and filling key product gaps.
• Respond to customer feedback and queries from Customer Services and Bazaarvoice, meeting SLA requirements.
• Assist in the upload of new products, including sourcing and collating product data and content.
• Manage image assets including samples, photos, and in-situ images.
• Support the Category team with price analysis and trend reporting.
• Collaborate with the Merchandising team to compile relevant product content.
• Coordinate data uploads with the IT team.
• Generate reports as required to support category decisions.

About You

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organised with the ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (especially Excel); experience with product data management is a plus.
• Enthusiastic, self-motivated, and willing to learn.
• Prior experience in a similar retail or product-focused role is desirable but not essential.

About the Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus public Bank Holidays
• Annual investment of 40 hours development & training per employee and opportunities for career progression
• Subsidised Private Healthcare for employees and their families
• Fully funded Wellbeing offering operated by Health Shield with the ability to claim back medical costs, access to an EAP service including counselling sessions, a GP Anytime service and access to the NHS-approved Thrive wellbeing app
• Discretionary annual company performance bonus
• Bi-Monthly WOW awards for those that go above and beyond
• Generous staff discount on our products
• Long service awards
• Two paid volunteer days per year
• 500 refer a friend incentive scheme
• Free onsite parking in Head Office

Please note this job description does not claim to be exhaustive in the duties it defines, and it may to some extent change from time to time. This document will be reviewed during the annual appraisal process and any changes where appropriate will be made formally via the HR Department.