Assistant Buyer Development Program

Jobtailor; New Jersey; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in New Jersey seeks a detail-oriented Merchandising Analyst to manage procurement and build a customer-focused product mix. You will partner with Buyers to select assortments, negotiate pricing, and drive category performance through data-driven insights.

Responsibilities include managing vendor relationships, analyzing market trends, and overseeing purchase orders and receipts while maintaining timely delivery and cost savings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a merchan­dising, business, marketing, retail or related field.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel including pivot tables and VLOOKUP.
• Strong retail math and ability to analyze market trends.

Responsibilities

• Select and procure merchandise with the Buyer to ensure a customer-oriented product mix and achieve the profit plan.
• Independently manage business analysis and deliver insights on category performance.
• Participate in market visits and vendor appointments to select product assortments and negotiate pricing.
• Share perspectives based on competitive shopping, trend monitoring, and market performance evaluation.
• Build and nurture positive vendor relationships, influence problem-solving, and follow up with orders.
• Manage email streams across a diverse vendor database and communicate vendor feedback to managers.
• Maintain planned receipt flow by tracking merchandise receipts, identifying flow issues, ensuring shipping windows, and negotiating late-shipping discounts.
• Manage the full merchandise cycle, including entering, updating, tracking, and organizing purchase orders.
• Communicate late deliveries to the Buying team and set up new vendors with routing guides and pre-ticketing information.
• Collaborate with functional areas within the department to execute assignments.

Skills

Market Trend Analysis

Critical Thinking

Attention to Detail

Communication Skills

Vendor Negotiation

Problem-Solving

Strategic Buying

Education

Bachelor's degree in Merchandising or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Select and procure merchandise with the Buyer to ensure a customer-oriented product mix and achieve the profit plan
• Independently manage business analysis and deliver insights on category performance
• Participate in market visits and vendor appointments to select product assortments and negotiate pricing
• Share perspectives based on competitive shopping, trend monitoring, and market performance evaluation
• Build and nurture positive vendor relationships, influence problem-solving, and follow up with orders
• Manage email streams across a diverse vendor database and communicate vendor feedback to managers
• Maintain planned receipt flow by tracking merchandise receipts, identifying flow issues, ensuring shipping windows, and negotiating late-shipping discounts
• Manage the full merchandise cycle, including entering, updating, tracking, and organizing purchase orders
• Communicate late deliveries to the Buying team and set up new vendors with routing guides and pre-ticketing information
• Collaborate with functional areas within the department to execute assignments

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, Marketing, Retail Management, Supply Chain, Economics, or related fields
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel including pivot tables and VLOOKUP
• Basic understanding of Microsoft Office programs
• Fundamental understanding of retail math
• Ability to recognize, analyze, and quantify market trends
• Critical thinking, high attention to detail, and listening, oral, and written communication skills
• Affinity for retail math, product/merchandising, and building a career in Buying
• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage competing deadlines, and adapt to changing business needs
• Ability to negotiate with vendors to secure competitive pricing and strong value for customers
• Initiative, curiosity, adaptability, and commitment to continuous learning and professional growth
• Ability to travel within the NY, NJ, and PA region as needed for vendor appointments, trade shows, market visits, and competitive shopping activities
• Ability to meet travel requirements to Burlington offices, vendor appointments, market visits, and store locations throughout the region

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in merchandise selection, vendor negotiation, and category performance analysis while maintaining strong vendor relationships and effective communication. Proficient in retail math and advanced Microsoft Excel skills to support data-driven decision-making.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Merchandise Selection
• Vendor Negotiation
• Category Performance Analysis
• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Retail Math

Hard Skills

• Merchandise Procurement
• Business Analysis
• Market Trend Analysis
• Purchase Order Management
• Data Tracking
• Competitive Shopping
• Negotiation Skills
• Problem-Solving
• Vendor Relationship Management
• Receipt Flow Management

Soft Skills

• Critical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Communication Skills
• Adaptability
• Initiative

Industry Keywords

• Retail Management
• Supply Chain
• Merchandising
• Market Visits
• Trade Shows

Tools & Technologies

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office