Buying Assistant

Dunelm; London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Dunelm seeks a Buying Assistant to join their team, embarking on an 18-month training program aimed at developing into a Junior Buyer role. This position offers the opportunity to work on product ranges while cultivating key skills in buying, merchandising, and collaboration with suppliers. The culture promotes creativity and a supportive environment to help grow your career.

Benefits

Fully funded Level 4 apprenticeship

Qualifications

• Passion for homewares and bringing innovative ideas.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks calmly under pressure.
• Good eye for detail and effective communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Building relationships with peers to enhance category performance.
• Researching trends and analyzing sales data.
• Managing product samples and coordinating with suppliers.

Skills

Organisation

Communication

Attention to Detail

Creativity

Teamwork

Education

Level 4 apprenticeship (related to homewares)

Job description

Overview

Home. There’s no place like it.

And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do. We’re the UK's number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And we’ve crafted a workplace that feels just as welcoming – where you can bring your ideas, be yourself, and feel right at home.

With us, buying isn’t about chasing bargains and merchandising isn’t about pushing an endless parade of promotions. We do things differently. With us, it’s about creativity, instinct, and a real passion for home. We’re experts at understanding trends and performance - making quick decisions that keep our products and layouts perfectly timed, perfectly designed and perfectly marketed.

Get stuck in from day one, and you’ll make a real difference. You’ll learn as you go, grow in confidence, and start taking small steps towards owning your own ranges. It’s lively, rewarding, and full of opportunities to learn and shine.

At Dunelm, we want you to feel right at home — happy, supported, and excited about where your career can go. From your very first day, we’ll make sure you have the training, tools and guidance you need to settle in and start growing. And the support doesn’t stop there — we’ll be with you every step of the way as you progress.

This role is a first step on buying career path. You might start as a Buying Assistant, where you’ll join our 18-month training programme designed to help you confidently move into a Junior Buyer role. From there, you could step up into a Buyer position, with access to brilliant, tailored courses and sessions to help you keep developing your skills.

We believe in helping you become the best version of yourself — and making the journey enjoyable along the way.

What you'll be doing

• Building Relationships: Foster strong connections with peers in your category to enhance teamwork and boost category performance.
• Research and Analysis: Support your team by researching trends, analysing sales, and reviewing market data to shape product ranges.
• Product Knowledge:Master the product range thoroughly, keeping all documents up-to-date and accurately inputting new products into the system.
• Price Accuracy:Ensure accurate cost prices by liaising with suppliers globally and cross-checking data in our databases.
• Sample Management:Manage buying samples, oversee range sign-offs, coordinate photo studio sessions, and maintain detailed records in critical path meetings.
• WorkingCollaboratively:Work collaboratively to support the critical path planning for the department, working alongside the studio and marketing team so packaging and photography to be delivered in a timely and accurate manner to achieve required launch dates.
• Content Coordination:Coordinate with the Web team to obtain supplier content and images promptly for online platforms.
• Supplier Relationships:Develop positive relationships with suppliers, engage in day-to-day interactions, and assist in negotiations or sample feedback sessions.
• Visual Merchandising:Work with the ME Team to ensure accurate plans, collate information, and communicate details to the marketing team.
• Supporting Junior Buyer:Assist the Junior Buyer with promotions and special purchases, including seasonal promotional ranges for campaigns.

What we'll look for in you

• You have a passion for homewares: Demonstrated creative flair and a genuine passion for homewares, coupled with the enthusiasm to constantly bring fresh, innovative ideas to the table.
• You’re naturally organised and love a good plan (bonus points if colour-coded spreadsheets make you happy).
• You’re calm under pressure and can juggle a few spinning plates without breaking a sweat—or at least without dropping the important ones.
• You’re a clear communicator who knows how to keep everyone in the loop, whether it’s a quick update or chasing a deadline (nicely, of course).
• You’re not afraid to ask questions, challenge a delay, or speak up if something doesn’t look quite right.
• You’ve got a good eye for detail, but you also know when to zoom out and see the bigger picture.
• You’re a team player—someone who’s kind, reliable, and up for jumping in when things get busy.

If that’s ticking your boxes, we’d love to have you on board!

Colleagues can grow their skills (and their confidence) by taking on a fully funded Level 4 apprenticeship—because we’re all about cheering you on as you build your career.