Apparel Buyer Assistant — Drive Merch Ops & Data

University Co-op; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

University Co-op is seeking an Assistant Buyer to support merchandising operations, including accurate product setup, PO execution, and vendor coordination. The role ensures inventory visibility and timely handling of issues affecting product flow and customer experience.

Reporting to the Principal Merchant, you will collaborate across teams to maintain data integrity, manage samples, and support category readiness in apparel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in business, merchandising or related field.
• 1 year of experience in assistant buying, merchandising operations, allocation, retail management, or related internship.
• Proficiency in Excel, including pivot tables, lookups, and basic reporting analysis.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills with ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in data entry, product setup, and PO management.
• Strong communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Basic understanding of merchandising operations, inventory flow, and product lifecycle management preferred.

Responsibilities

• Purchase Order and product setup accuracy and timeliness.
• Maintain product and vendor data integrity.
• Coordinate effective vendor communication and coordination.
• Ensure inventory visibility and timely escalation of risks and opportunities.
• Ensure readiness and completeness of samples, assets, and product information.

Skills

Excel

Organizational skills

Communication

Cross-functional coordination

Data entry accuracy

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/merchandising or related field

Tools

Pivot tables

Lookups

Job description

University Co-op is seeking an Assistant Buyer to support merchandising operations, including accurate product setup, PO execution, and vendor coordination. The role ensures inventory visibility and timely handling of issues affecting product flow and customer experience.

Reporting to the Principal Merchant, you will collaborate across teams to maintain data integrity, manage samples, and support category readiness in apparel.