Assistant Buyer

Apparel Group; Doha; On-site; QAR 78,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Apparel Group in Doha seeks a results-driven Merchandiser to support category planning, vendor liaison, and inventory monitoring to achieve target gross margins and a healthy sell-through rate.

You will analyze trends, collaborate with planning teams, coordinate procurement, and optimize assortments across store formats while keeping a sharp eye on stock levels and market benchmarks.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience in retail or merchandising, preferably in fashion or lifestyle brands.
• Proficient in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and basic ERP systems.
• Understanding of product strategy, vendor coordination, range planning, and trend analysis.
• Familiarity with market research, sales data interpretation, and forecasting techniques.
• Bachelor's degree in Fashion, Retail Management, or a related field from a recognized institution.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of brand strategy through research and analysis of target customers and market positioning.
• Support category planning activities by analyzing performance, trends, and sales potential.
• Contribute to the seasonal purchase strategy by leveraging reports and historical data shared by the planning/merchandising teams.
• Participate in store grading to align product assortments across diverse store types (e.g., premium vs. value-focused).
• Assist in developing procurement strategies for seasonal sales using historical product performance.
• Support pricing decisions through competitive benchmarking and market intelligence.
• Coordinate with principals and suppliers for procurement under the guidance of the Buyer.
• Prepare and track procurement orders to ensure timely delivery in line with service level agreements and purchase plans.
• Monitor in-transit inventory to ensure smooth stock movement from supplier to warehouse.
• Support the Buyer in maintaining strong supplier relationships to ensure timely, cost-effective, and compliant deliveries.
• Follow up on supplier performance, delivery timelines, and contractual adherence.
• Conduct store visits to monitor product displays and gather insights on product performance.
• Visit competitor stores for benchmarking and trend inspiration.
• Track stock levels and weeks of cover, raising alerts when stock adjustments are needed.
• Collaborate with store staff to collect feedback on customer preferences and product performance.
• Stay updated on fashion trends and evolving customer preferences in local and international markets.
• Track competitor activities, product offerings, and pricing strategies to support informed buying decisions.

Skills

MS Excel

PowerPoint

ERP basics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion or Retail Management

Job description

Objective

The position is responsible for assisting in category planning, vendor coordination, and inventory monitoring to help achieve gross margin goals and maintain a healthy sell-through rate of 60% or above.

Key Responsibilities

Product Range Support

• Assist in the development of brand strategy through research and analysis of target customers and market positioning.
• Support category planning activities by analyzing performance, trends, and sales potential.
• Contribute to the seasonal purchase strategy by leveraging reports and historical data shared by the planning/merchandising teams.
• Participate in store grading to align product assortments across diverse store types (e.g., premium vs. value-focused).
• Assist in developing procurement strategies for seasonal sales using historical product performance.
• Support pricing decisions through competitive benchmarking and market intelligence.
• Coordinate with principals and suppliers for procurement under the guidance of the Buyer.

Order Management

• Prepare and track procurement orders to ensure timely delivery in line with service level agreements and purchase plans.
• Monitor in-transit inventory to ensure smooth stock movement from supplier to warehouse.

Vendor Coordination

• Support the Buyer in maintaining strong supplier relationships to ensure timely, cost-effective, and compliant deliveries.
• Follow up on supplier performance, delivery timelines, and contractual adherence.

Store & Visual Merchandising

• Conduct store visits to monitor product displays and gather insights on product performance.
• Visit competitor stores for benchmarking and trend inspiration.
• Track stock levels and weeks of cover, raising alerts when stock adjustments are needed.
• Collaborate with store staff to collect feedback on customer preferences and product performance.

Market & Competition Awareness

• Stay updated on fashion trends and evolving customer preferences in local and international markets.
• Track competitor activities, product offerings, and pricing strategies to support informed buying decisions.

Desired Experience

• Minimum 2 years of experience in retail or merchandising, preferably within a fashion or lifestyle brand.
• Proficient in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and basic ERP systems.
• Understanding of product strategy, vendor coordination, range planning, and trend analysis.
• Familiarity with market research, sales data interpretation, and forecasting techniques.
• Bachelor's degree in Fashion, Retail Management, or a related field from a recognized institution.