Associate Buyer

Spencer's; Egg Harbor Township (NJ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work environment

Career advancement

Competitive base salary

Bonus opportunity

Vacation, Personal, Sick and Holiday

Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, H

Life and AD&D insurance

401k with company match

30% merchandise discount

Job summary

Spencer's in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, is seeking an Associate Buyer to manage purchasing and inventory for targeted departments. You will curate assortments, analyze sales performance, and collaborate with internal teams and external partners to drive profitability and growth.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of experience, with strong communication and independent work capabilities. Travel to stores and trade shows is expected, with opportunities for career advancement and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university and 5+ years of experience or equivalent
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategies that drive business growth
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities for clear stakeholder dialogue
• Ability to work independently while thriving in collaborative environments
• Strong aptitude for partnering with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals
• Skilled in developing, planning, presenting, and executing strategic initiatives aligned with business objectives

Responsibilities

• Build, create, and manage merchandise assortments aligned with market trends for presentation to the buyer
• Analyze weekly sales and item performance to identify opportunities to boost sales and margin
• Prepare merchandise reports for weekly team meetings
• Manage product lifecycle from creation to POs, samples, in-store merchandising, markdowns, and discards
• Make purchasing decisions independently to meet customer demand and margin plans
• Travel to store locations to review product mix and gather feedback for the merchant team
• Attend trade shows and travel to vendor locations to grow external relationships and learn trends
• Maintain relationships with suppliers and internal partners via phone, email, and in-person meetings
• Collaborate with leadership to manage OTB and identify opportunities in style count, goals, and inventory flow
• Manage markdowns and promotion strategies

Skills

Communication skills

Independent work

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Strategy development

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

We are authentic, professional providers of fun, focused on building a Great Place To Work For All by staying true to our mission: “Life’s a Party, We’re Makin’ It Fun!” and “So Much Fun It’s Scary!”

At Spencer’s and Spirit, we do the right thing always-integrity, fairness, respect, and transparency are our foundation. You will find our culture to be inclusive, passionate, resilient, and one that values differences and embraces all.

One Team / One Goal

We are leaders and owners of our business success. Whether it’s developing new and exclusive costumes, quality testing products, or implementing technology solutions, our teams understand the value of working collaboratively to embrace change through innovation, curiosity, and thoughtfulness.

We Offer a Comprehensive Benefits Package That Includes

• Flexible work environment
• Career advancement
• Competitive base salary
• Bonus opportunity
• Vacation, Personal, Sick and Holiday pay
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life and AD&D insurance
• 401k with a company match
• 30% merchandise discount

Responsibilities

The Associate Buyer manages purchasing and inventory for specific departments, driving sales and profitability through collaboration with internal teams and external partners. They assist in curating assortments, ensuring timely deliveries, and analyzing sales performance. The role also involves identifying new products and trends through research and competitive shopping. Additionally, the Associate Buyer helps guide and train Assistant Buyers and Senior Assistant Buyers.

• Responsible for building, creating & managing merchandise assortments that align with market and consumer trends, to be presented to the Buyer. Assortment creation includes selecting and developing merchandise by considering quality, sourcing, timing, delivery, mix, and price
• Analyze weekly sales and item performance to find opportunities and strategies to drive sales and margin
• Prepare merchandise and reports for weekly team meetings
• Manage entire product lifecycle from creation, tracking of the purchase orders, samples, merchandising in store, to markdowns and discards
• Responsible for making purchasing decisions independently that satisfy the customer demand and achieve sales, turn and margin plan
• Travel to store locations to review product mix, gather feedback, and share information with the merchant team
• Attend trade shows and travel to vendor locations to grow and maintain professional relationships with external partners, as well as gain insight on new trends and opportunities
• Maintain and grow professional relationships with external suppliers and internal partners via telephone, email, and face-to-face meetings
• Partner with leadership and planning counterparts to manage the OTB and to identify opportunities in style count, sales goals, and inventory flow
• Manage markdowns and promotion strategies

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university; and 5+ years experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategies that drive business growth
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities, facilitating clear and effective dialogue with stakeholders
• Ability to work independently while also thriving in collaborative environments, taking initiative to drive projects forward
• Strong aptitude for partnering with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals and enhance organizational effectiveness
• Skilled in developing, planning, presenting, and executing strategic initiatives that align with business objectives

The pay range reflects the potential base salary range for this role. Individual base pay is determined by various factors such as relevant experience and skills, and the scope and responsibilities of the position.

Pay Range

$70,000 - $80,000