Buyer, Womens Advanced Designer

Exemplar Luxury Group; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Exemplar Luxury Group, the largest multi-brand luxury retailer, seeks a Buyer to lead merchandising strategy and product direction within assigned categories to meet sales and margin targets. You will curate distinctive, high-quality merchandise reflecting our standards and align with customer needs using competitive intel and insights for a customer-centric assortment.

You will oversee purchasing and negotiations with brand partners, partner with Merchandisers to develop strategies, and mentor

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent retail experience.
• 5+ years of experience in a buying office with a strong understanding of buying operations and retail strategy.
• Proven business acumen with strong financial, analytical, and strategic planning skills.
• Expertise in retail math including markup, margin planning, OTB, WOS, T/O, GMROI, and assortment planning.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management capabilities in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with internal and vendor relationships.
• Strong customer focus with results-driven mindset and ability to manage ambiguity.

Responsibilities

• Provide input on category and pre-season planning strategy and execute it throughout the season.
• Build customer-centered assortment framework and allocation strategy based on insights.
• Set product display and flow strategies in alignment with guardrails from Planning and Marketing.
• Lead market prep activities and coordinate buys with brand partners, managing in-season performance.
• Negotiate with Brand Partners to improve performance and collaborate with planners on opportunities.
• Mentor and train Associate Buyers, Assistant Buyers, and Coordinators to develop future buyers.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Strategic planning

Retail math

GMROI

Assortment planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent retail experience

Job description

WHO WE ARE

Exemplar Luxury Group is the largest multi‑brand luxury retailer in the world, comprising Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks OFF 5TH. Powered by our talented colleagues, we are redefining luxury shopping by offering each customer a personalized experience across our store network and e-commerce platforms. Through strong partnerships with the world’s most esteemed brands, cutting‑edge technology and the industry’s most comprehensive luxury customer data, Saks Global is shaping the future of retail.

Job Description

WHO WE ARE

Exemplar Luxury Group is the largest multi‑brand luxury retailer in the world, comprising Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks OFF 5TH. Powered by our talented colleagues, we are redefining luxury shopping by offering each customer a personalized experience across our store network and e-commerce platforms. Through strong partnerships with the world’s most esteemed brands, cutting‑edge technology and the industry’s most comprehensive luxury customer data, Saks Global is shaping the future of retail.

You Will Be

As Buyer, you will be responsible for the overall merchandising strategy and product direction within assigned categories or departments, aiming to meet or exceed sales, margin, and financial objectives. This role focuses on curating the most distinctive and high‑quality merchandise that reflects Saks Global’s exceptional standards and aligns with customer needs and preferences. Leveraging competitive intelligence, customer insights, and business analysis, you will ensure a customer‑centric assortment that drives performance. In addition to leading the purchasing and negotiation of merchandise, you will partner with Merchandise Planners to develop and execute strategies that maximize business opportunities. As the Buyer, you will also manage and mentor a team of Associate Buyers, Assistant Buyers, and Coordinators, fostering collaboration and ensuring alignment with business goals.

What You Will Do

Assortment Strategy

• Provide input on category and pre‑season planning strategy in collaboration with Planners based on past performance and knowledge on trends/brand insights, and execute on the strategy throughout the season
• Build customer‑centered assortment framework and allocation strategy based on customer and trend insights from Stores, Digital, CACI and Fashion and provide guidelines for allocation teams to follow
• Set strategies for product display and flow (e.g., launch dates, weeks of full‑price selling, cross‑sell opportunities, collection considerations) in alignment with guardrails from Planning and Marketing

Market Activities

• Lead market prep activities and attend market to select the best product in alignment with guardrails from Planning (e.g., Checkbook, OTB) and category direction from BP & Buying Leads (e.g., omni strategy, banner differentiation)
• Coordinate buys with brand partners, collaborate on exclusive merchandise, manage day‑to‑day communication around in‑season brand performance, trending styles, chase opportunities and resolve escalated order management issues

In‑Season Management

• Review daily performance reports and work closely with Planner counterparts to gather insights on trending products, categories, brands, etc., pull in‑season levers to optimize performance and prepare for monthly OTB meetings to provide bottoms‑up context and elevate opportunities and risks to Leads
• Serve as the owner of their business, constantly negotiating with Brand Partners throughout the season to improve performance (e.g., style swaps, capsules, RTVs, matrix expansion, markdowns)

Leadership Development

• Provide mentorship and hands‑on training to Associate Buyers, Assistant Buyers, and Coordinators, equipping them with the business acumen and practical skills needed to become successful future Buyers.

What You Will Bring

Required Qualifications (Minimum Requirements):

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent retail experience.
• 5+ years of experience in a buying office with a strong understanding of buying operations and retail strategy.
• Proven business acumen with strong financial, analytical, and strategic planning skills.
• Expertise in retail math, including markup, margin planning, OTB, WOS, T/O, GMROI, and assortment planning.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management capabilities in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong internal and vendor relationships.
• Strong customer focus with a results‑driven mindset and ability to manage ambiguity.
• Highly