Buying Assistant

IVC; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Cash Plan

Cycle to Work scheme

Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme

Discounted staff pet care

Job summary

Pet Drugs Online, part of the inspiring vet care Group, is seeking a Buying Assistant to join our Category team in a hybrid role near Keynsham. You will support product launches, promotional planning, trading analysis and category performance to drive commercial success.

You’ll work with Category, Marketing, Supply Chain, Online Trading and other teams to deliver commercial plans and insights, while developing a career in Buying, Merchandising or Commercial Trading.

Qualifications

• Experience in retail, FMCG, or related buying/merchandising environment.
• Strong numerical and analytical abilities with attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel and MS Office proficiency.
• Ability to translate data into actionable business insights.
• Excellent organisational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication skills and cross-team collaboration.
• Commercial mindset with solution-focused approach.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate end-to-end product launch processes with on-time delivery.
• Collaborate with Category, Marketing, Supply Chain, Online Trading and other teams.
• Analyse sales, stock, margins, and category performance to provide insights.
• Prepare weekly trading reports and support data-driven decisions.
• Manage promotional forecasts and communicate demand plans to stakeholders.
• Monitor competitor activity and pricing to identify market opportunities.
• Assist with pricing maintenance and investigate invoice discrepancies.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of trading processes and efficiency.

Skills

Analytical skills

Advanced Excel

Data interpretation

Organisational skills

Communication

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Retail/FMCG experience

Job description

Buying Assistant

Hybrid Keynsham BS31, 3 days a week

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we’re trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

Pet Drugs Online is one of the UK’s leading online pet pharmacies and retailers, helping pet owners access trusted medication, healthcare products and everyday essentials quickly, safely and conveniently. As part of the inspiring vet care Group, Pet Drugs Online combines the agility of a growing ecommerce business with the strength and expertise of a leading veterinary care organisation.

Our teams play a vital role in making pet healthcare more accessible through innovation, operational excellence and outstanding customer experience.

About the role

We’re looking for a highly organised and commercially minded Buying Assistant to join our Category team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys working with data, collaborating across multiple departments, and playing a key role in bringing products to market.

As a Buying Assistant, you’ll support our category trading teams in delivering commercial success and operational excellence. You’ll gain exposure to product launches, promotional planning, trading analysis, and category performance, making this an excellent opportunity for someone looking to develop a career in Buying, Category Management, Merchandising, or Commercial Trading.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Coordinate the end-to-end product launch process, ensuring products are launched accurately and on time.
• Work closely with Category, Marketing, Supply Chain, Online Trading, and other teams to deliver commercial plans.
• Analyse sales, stock, margin, and category performance data to provide valuable commercial insights.
• Prepare weekly trading reports and support decision-making through data-driven recommendations.
• Manage promotional forecasts and communicate demand plans to key stakeholders.
• Monitor competitor activity and pricing to identify market trends and opportunities.
• Support pricing maintenance and investigate invoice discrepancies where required.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of trading processes and operational efficiencies.

How you’ll make a difference

We’re interested in hearing from candidates who are analytical, proactive, and confident working with data in a fast-paced commercial environment.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience within a retail, FMCG, commercial, buying, merchandising, category, or administrative environment
• Strong analytical and numerical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel skills and confidence using Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to interpret data and turn findings into meaningful business insights.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships across teams.
• Commercial awareness and a solutions-focused mindset.

Desirable

• Previous experience in a Buying Assistant, Merchandising Assistant, Category Assistant, Commercial Analyst, or similar role.

How We’ll Support You

At inspiring vet care, we’re committed to supporting your development and wellbeing. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• A role with real impact in a growing ecommerce and pet healthcare business
• Clear career pathways with progression opportunities within Pet Drugs Online and the wider inspiring vet care Group
• Ongoing learning and development supported by experienced colleagues and teams
• A collaborative, values-led culture focused on care, innovation and continuous improvement

What We Offer Our Team

• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme
• Voluntary benefits: choose from a range of benefits to suit you
• Discounted staff pet care
• Access to discounts and cashback with hundreds of participating retailers

We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world-class learning resources.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.