Senior Buyer

Head Office; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading British heritage brand seeks a Senior Buyer to lead the buying strategy for their mainline products. This role involves managing vendor relationships, critical path planning, and ensuring margin targets are met, all while collaborating with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge in the clothing industry, particularly men's casualwear, and have a strong track record in team leadership and negotiation.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years working in a Senior Buying role within a clothing-based business.
• Management experience with a proven track record of managing a team.
• Extensive fabric knowledge across wovens and knits.

Responsibilities

• Lead the buying strategy for wholesale & retail.
• Manage the critical path planning process.
• Build and maintain strong vendor relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical Skills

Team Management

Negotiation Skills

Communication

Job description

Social network you want to login/join with:

Ben Sherman started out in 1963 producing standout button down shirts from a factory in Brighton. Over 6 decades later the brand is still producing standout shirts, but has also expanded to a full lifestyle collection rich in the brands DNA. From the early days the brand has been linked to music and British subcultures and that remains a core aspect of the brands appeal today.

If you are passionate about being part of a British Heritage brand’s journey, why not join us?

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the buying strategy for mainline
  wholesale & retail to source and develop the commercial product
  assortment, meeting the customer requirements.
• Ensure margin targets are achieved and
  provide a strategic vision of both short and long-term margin potential. Lead
  cross costing process each season to ensure best price across all product
  categories.
• Manage the critical path planning process,
  ensure on time delivery from concept to in store launch.
• Build and maintain strong vendor
  relationships to negotiate pricing, terms, and delivery timelines.
• Analyse sales, margin and supply
  chain data to make informed buying decisions.
• Elevated decision maker and
  trusted problem solver for your department with the ability to make
  decisions with consideration of the wider impact.
• Extensive product knowledge –
  ability to engineer a garment to reduce the cost impact of detail and
  design without affecting the key details.
• Collaborate with cross-functional
  teams (Design, Planning, Merchandising, E-commerce) to develop assortments
  and plan Retail Buys for both Mainline and Outlet.
• Manage agenda for monthly
  meetings with Brand Owner.
• Lead on product development and
  planning for special projects, e.g. collaborations, special buys for
  marketing.
• Present seasonal buy to senior
  leadership with clear rationale and performance projections.
• Attend sign off meetings with
  Brand owners.
• Build range plans in
  collaboration with Merchandise.
• Benchmark competitors and lead
  the team on pricing architecture.
• Manage the supply chain effectively building
  relationships and sourcing new suppliers as and when required. Ensure current
  suppliers are measured seasonally and work with them to make any needed
  improvements.
• Complete sign off sheets for all proposed
  buys with 100% accuracy.
• Manage the e-commerce photography
  requirements for all departments. Working with external studios to plan in all
  shoots on time to CP and within budget standards. Manage the delivery of
  imagery to all required departments.
• Responsible for chairing supplier meetings
  and travelling to factories/mills when required in the UK and Internationally.
• Full understanding of customer needs to
  maximise profits and provide a commercially viable range of merchandise at
  competitive prices.

Accountability:

• Achievement of agreed budgeted margins
  on all products.
• On time delivery of all garments to
  agreed quality standards.
• Products are commercially produced and
  new trends identified and delivered in line with high street competitors.

Knowledge/skills

• At least 3 years working in a Senior
  Buying role within a clothing-based business, ideally men’s casualwear.
• Management and leadership experience
  essential with a proven track record of managing a team to deliver commercially
  relevant, on-trend clothing.
• Experience of retail and trading.
• Extensive fabric knowledge across
  wovens and knits.
• Thorough understanding of Men’s Casualwear.
• Knowledge of product development & production
  process from design concept to delivered goods.
• An understanding of shipping terms,
  export & import process along with direct working with overseas suppliers.
• Broad knowledge & understanding of
  the clothing industry and trading environments.
• Ability to work under pressure / to timelines.
• Self-motivated and motivating.
• To be numerate and proficient in the
  relevant IT programmes.
• Strong communication and presentation
  skills.
• Good organisational skills.
• Build strong and lasting relationships
  through supply chain & customer base.

Experience

• 3 years in a senior buying
  role (ideally in men’s casualwear).
• Proven leadership
  experience in managing buying teams.
• Experience with
  retail and trading in clothing.
• Overseas supplier
  liaison and knowledge of import/export processes.