Senior Buyer

Sainsbury's; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A major UK retailer is looking for a Senior Buyer for Menswear to lead the sourcing and product strategies for clothing. This role requires a dynamic individual with a strong commercial background in the retail environment. Candidates should be passionate about product development, with proven experience in building supplier partnerships and delivering commercial outcomes. You will navigate complex environments, manage apparel sourcing, and influence key decisions to help enhance customer offerings and drive business growth.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in Menswear Clothing across multiple categories.
• Extensive experience in own-brand product development.
• Demonstrated ownership of an apparel category P&L.
• Strong relationship-building and negotiation capability.
• Experience in navigating complex stakeholder environments.
• Continuous improvement mindset and creativity.
• Exceptional attention to detail and product passion.
• Clear communicator and confident presenter.
• Inspirational leader with empathy.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a customer-focused sourcing and product strategy.
• Manage end-to-end apparel sourcing models.
• Lead key category initiatives and implement pricing strategies.
• Build strong international supplier relationships.
• Accountable for category plans and targets for performance.

Skills

Commercial results delivery

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation skills

Attention to detail

Leadership

Problem-solving

Job description

Senior Buyer – Menswear

At Sainsbury’s, our Buying teams shape the products millions of customers choose every day. We’re committed to delivering standout style, great value and quality our customers can trust.

This Senior Buyer role sits at the heart of our Menswear team, giving you the chance to lead a high‑profile category with real commercial impact. If you want to shape the future of Menswear at scale, this is the place to do it.

You’ll take full ownership of our menswear sourcing, buying and selling strategy, from trend‑led development to long‑term sourcing plans. Your decisions will influence the ranges customers love and how we deliver value across a competitive market.

You’ll also play a key part in evolving our end‑to‑end sourcing model, improving quality, sustainability, ethical standards and customer experience, all aligned with our ‘Plan for Better’ commitments. With Menswear a major focus for the business, your commercial thinking and creativity will drive both immediate trading performance and long‑term growth.

We are looking for someone with strong menswear experience across multiple product areas, who’s passionate about great product and thrives in a fast‑paced retail environment. You’ll bring energy, curiosity and confidence. Someone who can lead cross‑functional teams, build strong supplier partnerships and make clear commercial recommendations.

What You’ll Do

You’ll develop and execute a customer‑focused sourcing and product strategy for Clothing, shaping a compelling menswear assortment that reflects customer needs, market trends and business priorities. You’ll partner closely with Design, Technical, Merchandising, Ethical, Supply Chain and Finance teams to bring products to life and ensure they land brilliantly in stores and online.

You will manage complex, end‑to‑end apparel sourcing models and build strong international supplier relationships, negotiating effectively to drive value. You’ll lead key category initiatives and projects, implement pricing and ranging strategies, and use data and insight to identify opportunities that keep us ahead of the market. Working across multiple internal teams, you’ll be accountable for category plans, delivering against targets for sales, profit, value and range performance, while maintaining the right balance of style, quality, durability and ethical standards.

Who You Are

A passionate Menswear Buyer, commercially sharp, dynamic and agile with a deep understanding of the customer and trends. You bring pace, clarity and confidence to everything you do, to drive growth and turnaround, thriving in fast‑moving retail environments where priorities shift and decisions matter.

Known for your independent thinking, you balance commercials with forward‑looking strategic intent. You take full accountability and are comfortable operating autonomously while staying aligned to the wider business goals.

A natural communicator and collaborator, you influence with credibility across functions and levels, bringing teams and partners with you. Curious, solutions‑focused and resilient, you challenge the status quo and push for better, in product, people, process and performance.

Essential Criteria

• Proven track record of delivering strong commercial results in Menswear Clothing across multiple categories
• Extensive experience in own‑brand product development, with the ability to thrive and deliver pace in a dynamic retail environment
• Demonstrated ownership of an apparel category P&L, balancing margin, volume, and market performance
• Strong relationship‑building and negotiation capability, with experience building robust supplier strategies and willingness and flexibility to travel to supplier locations as required operating long‑term supplier partnerships.
• Confident in navigating complex stakeholder environments, showing resilience, sound judgement, and clarity of decision‑making
• Clear evidence of a continuous improvement mindset, combining creative thinking with practical problem‑solving to enhance ways of working
• Exceptional attention to detail, paired with a deep passion for product and a relentless drive to raise standards
• Clear, compelling communicator and confident presenter
• Inspirational and motivational leader, leading with empathy and compassion

You’ll split your time between home and Ansty SSC (Coventry), coming into the office when it matters most for collaboration and business needs.