Buying Manager

Naidu Hall; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Naidu Hall is seeking a Buying Manager / DGM (Retail) to head end-to-end category buying, assortment planning, and sourcing for our store network. This role requires regular travel across North Indian hubs to source merchandise, negotiate retail margins, track market trends, and ensure timely replenishment across stores.

The candidate will manage gross margins, inventory turns, and vendor relationships to curate commercially successful apparel collections while ensuring on-time product

Qualifications

• 8+ years of core retail buying or category management experience with apparel brands or multi-outlet stores.
• In-depth knowledge of fabrics, garment construction, vendor cost-sheets, and quality testing standards.
• Hands-on expertise in retail KPIs (GMROI, OTB, ATV, markdowns).
• Strong supplier network across North Indian garment/textile markets.
• Willingness to travel frequently for vendor visits and store reviews.
• Degree/Diploma in Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management, or Apparel Production.

Responsibilities

• Formulate seasonal buying plans, OTB budgets, and category mix based on store data and trends.
• Travel across North Indian hubs to discover vendors and secure inventory.
• Execute landed cost calculations, negotiate prices and terms to protect margins.
• Track trends and fast-fashion silhouettes to translate into viable store collections.
• Assess fabric quality (GSM, blends, durability) to meet brand standards.
• Review weekly sell-through, stock-to-sales ratios, and markdown strategies.
• Manage critical paths with suppliers to hit festive periods and launches.

Skills

Retail buying

Vendor management

Trend forecasting

Analytical thinking

Education

Fashion Merchandising/ Retail Management degree

Job description

Role Overview

The Buying Manager / DGM (Retail) will head end-to-end category buying, assortment planning, and product sourcing for our retail store network. This role is responsible for , gross margins, and inventory turns by curating commercially successful apparel collections. The role requires regular on-ground travel across North Indian manufacturing and textile clusters to source merchandise, negotiate retail margins, track market trends, and ensure timely replenishment across stores.

Key Responsibilities

• Assortment Planning & OTB Management: Formulate seasonal buying plans, Open-to-Buy (OTB) budgets, and category mix (core, fashion, seasonal) based on store footfalls, regional preferences, and historical sales data.
• Vendor Sourcing & Hub Travel: Travel frequently across major North Indian manufacturing hubs (Delhi-NCR, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Surat/Tirupur linkages) to discover new vendors, negotiate direct-from-manufacturer sourcing, and secure store-ready inventory.
• Costing & Retail Margin Optimization: Execute landed cost calculations, target retail markups (IMU/MMU), and negotiate vendor prices, discounts, and payment terms to protect retail bottom lines.
• Trend Forecasting & Fast Fashion Adaptation: Track retail consumer trends, visual merchandising inputs, and fast-moving silhouettes to translate runaway trends into commercially viable retail floor collections.
• Fabric & Garment Evaluation: Assess fabric qualities (GSM, yarn blend, hand-feel, durability, wash-care compliance) to ensure all store apparel meets brand standards and minimizes customer returns.
• Store Performance & Inventory Health: Partner with retail operations and visual merchandising teams to review weekly sell-through rates, stock-to-sales ratios, markdown strategies, and aged inventory liquidation.
• Production & Delivery Timelines: Manage critical paths (T&A) with suppliers to ensure stock hits retail floors ahead of key festive periods, end-of-season sales (EOSS), and seasonal launches.

Candidate Requirements & Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum 8+ years of core retail buying or category management experience with established apparel retail chains, departmental stores, or multi-outlet fashion brands.
• Technical Mastery: In-depth knowledge of fabrics (knits, wovens, blends), garment construction, vendor cost-sheets, and quality testing standards.
• Retail Commercial Acumen: Hands-on expertise in retail KPIs (Sell-Through, OTB, Gross Margin Return on Investment - GMROI, Average Transaction Value - ATV, Markdowns).
• Supplier Network: Strong, existing vendor network across North Indian garment and textile manufacturing markets.
• Mobility: High willingness to travel frequently for vendor visits, fabric sourcing, factory audits, and store performance reviews.
• Education: Degree/Diploma in Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management, or Apparel Production from NIFT, Pearl Academy, FDDI, or a recognized institution.