Department Manager (Clothing) – Buying Manager

PERSOL; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail organization is seeking a Department Manager (Clothing) to drive the business performance of the baby clothing category. Responsibilities include developing business strategies, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring optimal product assortment. The successful candidate will be skilled in category management and cross-functional collaboration, focusing on achieving sales and inventory objectives. This role offers opportunities for mentoring and team leadership within a dynamic retail environment.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in category management and merchandise planning.
• Ability to analyze sales and market data to identify trends.
• Proven negotiation skills with vendors and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Develop annual business plans for the baby clothing department.
• Monitor sales and stock performance to achieve targets.
• Negotiate with vendors for optimal costs and delivery terms.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams for product distribution.

Skills

Business management

Category analysis

Vendor negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Department Manager (Clothing) – Buying Manager

The Department Manager: Baby Clothing is responsible for driving the overall business performance, range strategy, and merchandise planning of the baby clothing category. This role ensures that the department meets its sales, margin, and inventory objectives through effective buying, product selection, supplier negotiation, and close collaboration with planning, allocation, and retail operations teams.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Business & Category Management

• Develop and execute annual business plans for the baby clothing department, aligning with company strategy and financial goals.
• Monitor sales, margin, stock, and sell-through performance, taking timely actions to achieve targets.
• Analyze key business reports and market data to identify trends, customer preferences, and growth opportunities.
• Partner with Planning to ensure optimal OTB (Open-to-Buy) utilization and inventory control.
• Review and propose markdown strategies and promotional plans to maximize profitability.

2. Buying & Merchandising

• Define the seasonal product assortment, ensuring the right mix of fashion, basics, and value lines suited for the baby category. Collaborate with design, sourcing, and suppliers to deliver product ranges in line with brand DNA and customer demand.
• Negotiate with vendors to achieve the best cost, margin, and delivery terms.
• Ensure timely product development, sampling, and approvals according to the critical path.
• Maintain balanced inventory levels across regions and channels to support consistent availability and sell-through.
• Work closely with the planning team to forecast sales and define buying quantities by season and sub-category.
• Analyze weekly and monthly performance data to assess range efficiency, sell-out ratios, and aging stock.
• Recommend product reorders, price revisions, and discontinuations based on performance insights.
• Partner with allocation teams to ensure effective stock distribution across stores and channels.

4. Cross-functional Coordination

• Liaise with Marketing, Retail Operations, and Visual Merchandising to ensure consistent product presentation and promotional alignment.
• Coordinate with the supply chain and warehouse teams to ensure smooth inbound flow, stock availability, and timely replenishment.
• Partner with finance on budgeting, margin management, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Lead and mentor Assistant Buyers / Merchandisers within the category.
• Foster a collaborative working culture between Buying, Planning, and Retail functions.
• Encourage data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement within the team.