Buyer

iRiS Recruiting Solutions; Texas; On-site; USD 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

iRiS Recruiting Solutions seeks a seasoned Footwear Buyer in Tyler, TX to own end-to-end buying strategy, manage seasonal plans, and build high-impact vendor partnerships that drive a profitable footwear assortment for our customer base.

You will collaborate with Merchandising Planners to balance market trends with Open-to-Buy targets, lead negotiations on COGS and MOQs, and guide cross-functional teams through launches and promotional cadences.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of retail buying experience in footwear.
• Strong Open-to-Buy (OTB) management and GMROI analysis.
• Proven ability to build data-driven buying strategies with merch planners.
• Excellent negotiation skills and vendor terms experience.
• Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables) and ERP/Merchandising systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end footwear buying strategy and seasonal plans.
• Curate a balanced footwear assortment across styles and brands.
• Monitor trends, margins, and sell-through to optimize GMROI.
• Negotiate pricing, MOQs, terms with external brands and suppliers.
• Collaborate with Merchandising Planners on OTB and budgets.

Tools

Excel

SAP

Oracle

Blue Yonder

Aptos

Job description

Reports To: Director of Merchandising / VP of Merchandising

Location: Tyler, TX

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Footwear Buyer to lead and drive our footwear category growth. In this role, you will own the end-to-end buying strategy, manage the seasonal purchasing plan, and foster high-impact vendor partnerships. Working in close collaboration with Merchandise Planners, you will balance market trends, sales data, and financial guardrails to curate a compelling, profitable product assortment that resonates with our customer base.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, own, and execute the seasonal Buyer Plan aligned with overall company financial goals, category performance targets, and customer demand.
• Curate a balanced, market-leading footwear assortment across styles, price points, and brands (or private label programs).
• Monitor market trends, competitor assortments, and consumer shopping behaviors to identify white-space opportunities and mitigate assortment risks.
• Track sell-through, inventory turns, and gross margin goals, adjusting buying strategies dynamically to maximize profitability.
• Partner continuously with Merchandise Planners to align assortment plans with seasonal Open-to-Buy (OTB), financial targets, and inventory budgets.
• Co-develop seasonal sales forecasts, markdowns, and promotional cadence to optimize inventory turn and gross margin return on investment (GMROI).
• Conduct weekly, monthly, and seasonal performance reviews alongside planning partners to analyze key metrics (sales, gross margin, turn, and stock-to-sales ratios) and re-forecast allocations accordingly.
• Act as the primary point of contact for external footwear brands and manufacturing partners.
• Lead all vendor negotiations regarding product pricing, cost of goods sold (COGS), order minimums (MOQs), payment terms, return authorizations, and promotional allowances.
• Conduct annual vendor performance evaluations based on on-time delivery, product quality, margin contribution, and responsiveness.
• Build strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with key vendors to secure exclusive colorways, priority allocations, and favorable commercial terms.

Execution & Cross-Functional Operations

• Manage the complete purchase order (PO) lifecycle—from initial commitment and order entry through to tracking timely delivery into distribution centers.
• Partner with Marketing, Visual Merchandising, and E-Commerce teams to ensure compelling product launch strategies, site merchandising, and floor presentations.
• Participate in trade shows, market weeks, and vendor showroom meetings to preview upcoming lines and identify emerging trends.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 3–5+ years of retail buying experience, specifically within the footwear industry (athletic, casual, luxury, or fashion footwear preferred).
• Financial Acumen: Strong proficiency in Open-to-Buy (OTB) management, retail math metrics (Gross Margin, GMROI, Sell-Through, Stock-to-Sales), and margin analysis.
• Planning Collaboration: Proven track record of working hand-in-hand with Merchandise Planners to build data-driven buying strategies.
• Negotiation Skills: Outstanding commercial negotiation skills with a track record of driving margin expansion and favorable vendor terms.
• Tools & Software: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, data models) and experience with retail ERP/Merchandising management platforms (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Blue Yonder, or Aptos).
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional partners and present strategies to leadership.
• Travel: Ability to travel periodically for trade shows, market weeks, and vendor visits (approx. 10–20%).