Assistant Buyer/Assortment Planner - Seattle, WA (Hybrid)

Nordstrom Inc; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Vision

Dental

Retirement

Paid Time Away

Life Insurance and Disability

Merchandise Discount

EAP Resources

Job summary

Nordstrom Inc. is seeking an Assistant Buyer/Assortment Planner in Seattle’s downtown headquarters. This hybrid role requires in-office presence Monday through Thursday to support customer-focused product strategies and inventory execution.

The candidate should have 2+ years in buying/planning, data analysis experience, and strong cross-functional collaboration skills. The position involves partnering with buying, planning, and inventory teams pre-season, negotiating terms, and communicating

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in merchandise buying and/or planning.
• 2+ years of experience analyzing data and strategizing improvements.
• Experience in high-volume sales categories with seasonality and revenue.
• Strong business acumen and decision-making skills.
• Effective communication with cross-functional partners; Excel proficiency (formulas, pivot tables).

Responsibilities

• Develop customer-focused execution strategies based on market and seasonal merchandise.
• Collaborate with buying, planning, and inventory teams pre-season to improve depth and allocation.
• Negotiate exclusive offerings, terms, pricing, markdowns, and drop-ship programs.
• Liaise with store and e-commerce teams to communicate selling strategy and agenda.

Skills

Merchandise buying/planning

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Tools

Excel

Job description

Job Description

Position located at our downtown Seattle headquarters. Our hybrid employees are required to be in‑office Monday through Thursday. The ideal Assistant Buyer/Assortment Planner is analytical, results‑driven and committed to fulfilling the needs of the customer.

A day in the life… Develop an understanding of the needs, wants, and expectations of the customer. Create an execution strategy by understanding the market and seasonal merchandise in each category. Partner with buying, planning, and inventory teams’ pre‑season to improve depth, precision of allocation, and location level inventory and ensure execution in‑season. Participate in vendor negotiations of exclusive offerings, terms, pricing, markdowns, return to vendor agreements, and drop‑ship programs. Act as a liaison to both store and e‑commerce business partners to effectively communication selling strategy and agenda. Participate in business reviews to better understand what improved decisions need to be made to increase the overall department performance.

You own this if you have… 2+ years of experience in merchandise buying and/or planning. 2+ years of experience analyzing data and strategizing how to implement changes to increase overall performance. Experience working in a high-volume sales category (high SKU count, heavy seasonality, high revenue) Strong business acumen and decision‑making skills. Effective communication skills when collaborating with cross‑function business partners. Proficiency in MS Office Suite (primarily Excel navigation, formulas, and pivot tables).

Pay Range Details

Pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations. Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Washington: $80,000 - $132,000 Annually

We’ve got you covered… Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits.

Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:

• Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away Life Insurance and Disability Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources
• Benefits include 401k, medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance options, PTO accruals, Holidays, and more.

This position may be eligible for performance-based incentives/bonuses.

Eligibility requirements may apply based on location, job level, classification, and length of employment.

Learn more in the Nordstrom Benefits Overview by copying and pasting the following URL into your browser: https://careers.nordstrom.com/pdfs/Ben_Overview_16.pdf

A few more important points... The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all‑inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.

For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the SanFrancisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.

Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com.

Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.

About Us

We’re a fast‑moving fashion company that started as a shoe store in 1901. This heritage of service is the foundation we’re building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. We empower our people to be innovative, creative and focused on providing the best service to our customers. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it. Whether you’re a genius engineer, a phenomenal salesperson or a supply chain pro, we invite you to bring your unique talents and join our team. We reward great work, promote from within and celebrate diversity.

CUSTOMER OBSESSED

We strive to know our customers better than anyone else. We listen, anticipate, build trust and move with speed to deliver on their needs.

OWNERS AT HEART

We treat every interaction as an opportunity to make an impact and deliver excellence.

CURIOUS AND EVER CHANGING

We approach problems with curiosity and create solutions. We unlock potential to be bold, think big and inspire innovation.

HERE TO WIN

We’re committed to delivering results, both today and tomorrow. We win as a team by supporting and challenging one another to be better every day.

WE EXTEND OURSELVES

We treat each other with respect and kindness. We do the small things that make a big difference. We create a welcoming environment, helping people feel connected, valued and part of one community.

Come on! Join us!