Associate Buyer

Michaels Stores; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Michaels Stores Associate Buyer role in Irving, TX focuses on developing category strategy, managing vendor relationships, and driving pricing and inventory decisions to meet customer needs.

Leading product selection, line reviews, and seasonal planning, you will analyze sales data, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and maintain accurate product data reflecting Good/Better/Best across systems.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of buying experience in merchandising.
• Planning and inventory experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Proficiency in utilizing Excel or other data analysis tools to extract insights and make data-driven decisions.
• Strong collaboration skills to partner with cross-functional teams.
• Flexible, resilient, and comfortable working in an environment that is constantly changing.
• Strong decision-making ability, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Detailed-oriented with excellent organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of category strategies aligned with company goals and customer insights.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer preferences to inform category decisions.
• Drive vendor negotiations and relationship management to enhance category performance.
• Curate and maintain a compelling product assortment.
• Analyze sales data and customer feedback to identify assortment gaps and opportunities.
• Owns product selection, line reviews, and seasonal planning processes.
• Manage and maintain product data to ensure the Good/Better/Best strategy is accurately reflected in all systems.
• Support pricing strategy development to ensure competitiveness and profitability.
• Monitor price changes, promotions, and markdowns to optimize margin and inventory levels.
• Conduct regular pricing analysis and provide recommendations for adjustments.
• Assist in building and maintaining financial plans including sales forecasts, margin targets, and inventory levels.
• Track performance against financial goals and provide actionable insights to improve results.
• Partner with planning and allocation teams to ensure alignment with financial objectives.
• Manage a small team of individual contributors, contributing to their growth and development

Skills

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision making

Organizational skills

Tools

Excel

Job description

The Associate Buyer executes product strategies and manages vendor relationships for assigned categories. This role leads merchandise selection, performance analysis, and operational execution, helping ensure the right products are available at the right time.

Key Responsibilities:

Category Strategy:

• Lead the development and execution of category strategies aligned with company goals and customer insights.


• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer preferences to inform category decisions.


• Drive vendor negotiations and relationship management to enhance category performance.


• Curate and maintain a compelling product assortment.


• Analyze sales data and customer feedback to identify assortment gaps and opportunities.


• Owns product selection, line reviews, and seasonal planning processes.


• Manage and maintain product data to ensure the Good/Better/Best strategy is accurately reflected in all systems.

Price Management:

• Support pricing strategy development to ensure competitiveness and profitability.


• Monitor price changes, promotions, and markdowns to optimize margin and inventory levels.


• Conduct regular pricing analysis and provide recommendations for adjustments.


• Assist in building and maintaining financial plans including sales forecasts, margin targets, and inventory levels.


• Track performance against financial goals and provide actionable insights to improve results.


• Partner with planning and allocation teams to ensure alignment with financial objectives.

Team Management:

• Manage small team of individual contributors, contributing to their growth and development

Qualifications:

• 4+ years of buying experience, exhibiting progressively responsible assignments with the merchandising organization


• Planning and inventory experience is strongly preferred


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Proficiency in utilizing Excel or other data analysis tools to extract insights and make data-driven decisions


• Strong collaboration skills to partner with cross-functional teams


• Flexible, resilient, and comfortable working in an environment that is constantly changing


• Strong decision-making ability, communication, and negotiation skills


• Detailed-oriented with excellent organizational skills

Applicants in the U.S. must satisfy federal, state, and local legal requirements of the job.