Assistant Buyer

SupportFinity™; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 49,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Parental leave

Sabbatical

Employee discounts

Health insurance

401k match

Company events

Fridays remote option

Job summary

Rent The Runway is seeking an Assistant Buyer in New York to support the Buying Department's strategic initiatives and gain in-depth insights into the fashion industry’s inner workings. You will engage with a collaborative team and build relationships with hundreds of Designer Partners.

The role offers growth in a fast-paced environment, with a data-driven approach to purchasing, inventory management, and trend analysis, contributing across departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, Business or a related field preferred, but not required.
• At least one year in a related industry role or relevant internships.
• You take ownership and initiative and can excel in a fast-paced, high growth environment.
• Exceptional ability to analyze sales data and trends.
• Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office, Google Suite and adaptable to learning new systems.
• Strong written and verbal communicator with a professional and solutions oriented mindset.
• Collaborative, enthusiastic and research minded; ability to use feedback from others in a constructive way.
• Results and deadline-oriented with a strong sense of follow through.
• A strong sense of style and current knowledge of fashion trends and designers are highly desirable.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively on team projects.

Responsibilities

• Schedule and attend market appointments with strategic assortment plans.
• Actively participate in seasonal buys using insights from customer behavior and trends.
• Oversee creation, updating and maintenance of purchase orders.
• Monitor & project inventory orders to guarantee on-time delivery.
• Collaborate with accounts payable to rectify discrepancies in pricing and terms.
• Execute weekly reports, analyze category and vendor performance.
• Support Buyer in cross-functional initiatives to maximize performance.
• Partner with Merchandising and Operations to ensure new merchandise meets durability standards.
• Monitor fashion and industry trends and share findings with the team.

Skills

Data analysis

Microsoft Office

Communication

Organization

Fashion trend awareness

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising/Marketing/Business

Tools

Google Suite

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

About Rent The Runway

Rent the Runway (RTR) is transforming the way we get dressed by pioneering the world’s first Closet in the Cloud. Founded in 2009, RTR has disrupted the $2.4 trillion fashion industry by inspiring women with a more joyful, sustainable and financially-savvy way to feel their best every day. As the ultimate destination for circular fashion, the brand now offers infinite points of access to its shared closet via a fully customizable subscription to fashion, one‑time rental or ownership. RTR offers designer apparel and accessories from hundreds of brand partners and has built in‑house proprietary technology and a one‑of‑a‑kind reverse logistics operation. Under CEO and Co‑Founder Jennifer Hyman’s leadership, RTR has been named to CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” five times in ten years, and has been placed on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list multiple times, while Hyman herself has been named to the “TIME 100” most influential people in the world and as one of People magazine’s “Women Changing the World.”

Position Overview

Join Rent the Runway’s Fashion Team as an Assistant Buyer, where your entrepreneurial spirit, proactive attitude and sharp interpersonal skills will flourish. In this role, you will not only support the Buying Department’s strategic initiatives, but also gain in‑depth insights into the fashion industry’s inner workings. Our team, known for its passion and collaborative ethos, offers you a platform to work across the company, contributing to and learning from every interaction. We are looking for a multitasker with a strong desire to grow, engage actively with our team and foster enduring relationships with our hundreds of Designer Partners.

What You’ll Do

• Scheduling and attending market appointments prepared with strategic assortment plans, brand insights and understanding of product with a data backed approach.
• Actively participate in seasonal buys, applying insights from customer behavior, product performance and industry trends to inform purchasing decisions.
• Oversee the creation, updating and maintenance of purchase orders. Ensure product attribute accuracy within our management databases and synchronize across systems.
• Monitor & project inventory orders to guarantee on‑time delivery by liaising continuously with Buyers, Logistics and Brand Partners.
• Collaborate with accounts payable to rectify any discrepancies in pricing and terms on invoices and inventory payments.
• Execute weekly reports diligently, analyze category and vendor performance and identify business opportunities and challenges.
• Support Buyer in cross‑functional initiatives to maximize performance results and scale the team.
• Partner with the Merchandising and Operations Teams to ensure new merchandise meets durability standards and assist with inventory maintenance issues as needed.
• Monitor fashion and industry trends. Actively looks at competitors sites and brings information/trends/findings to the team.

About You

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, Business or a related field preferred, but not required.
• At least one year in a related industry role or relevant internships.
• You take ownership and initiative and can excel in a fast‑paced, high growth environment.
• Exceptional ability to analyze sales data and trends.
• Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Google Suite and adaptable to learning new systems.
• Strong written and verbal communicator with a professional and solutions oriented mindset.
• Collaborative, enthusiastic and research minded; ability to use feedback from others in a constructive way.
• Results and deadline‑oriented with a strong sense of follow through.
• A strong sense of style and current knowledge of fashion trends and designers are highly desirable.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively on team projects.

Benefits

At Rent the Runway, we’re committed to the wellbeing of our employees and aim to create a workplace that fosters both personal and professional growth. Our inclusive benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Paid Time Off including vacation, paid bereavement and family sick leave – every employee needs time to take care of themselves and their family.
• Universal Paid Parental Leave for both parents + flexible return to work program – because we know your newest family member(s) deserve your undivided attention.
• Paid Sabbatical after five years of continuous service – Unplug, recharge and have some fun!
• Exclusive employee subscription and rental discounts – to ensure you experience the magic of renting the runway (and give us valued feedback!).
• Comprehensive health, vision, dental, FSA and dependent care from day one of employment – Your health comes first and we’ve got you covered.
• 401k match – an investment in your future.
• Company‑wide events and outings – our team spirit is no joke – we know how to have fun!
• Office centric work – our corporate employees and technical leaders have the option to work remotely on Fridays, in accordance with Company policies.

Rent the Runway is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally‑recognized basis, including, but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age (40 and over), national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed service member status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

The anticipated base salary for this position is $48,527 to $60,659. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held.

About the company

Rent The Runway