Director of Inventory & Buyer Operations

Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

Flexible Time Off

Holiday pay

Winter break closure

401(k)

Daily lunches

Other company perks

Job summary

Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry is seeking a Director of Inventory & Buyer Operations to lead the strategy, systems, and people behind our esteemed jewelry and gemstone inventory. This on-site role collaborates with executive leadership, Sales, Finance, Production, and suppliers.

You will oversee inventory controls, sourcing strategies, and vendor partnerships while mentoring the inventory and buying team in a fast-moving luxury environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading inventory and buying in fine jewelry or luxury jewelry."
• Strong knowledge of diamonds, gemstones, precious materials, and jewelry manufacturing.
• Gemological training/certification (GIA) preferred/required depending on final position requirements.

Responsibilities

• Oversee inventory operations, controls, accuracy, security, and inventory-management systems.
• Develop and execute buying and sourcing strategies for diamonds, gemstones, precious materials, and finished jewelry.
• Build and manage relationships with domestic and international vendors, suppliers, designers, and production partners.
• Negotiate pricing and terms balancing quality, rarity, margin, inventory investment, and client demand.
• Partner with Finance and leadership on purchasing forecasts, inventory levels, and working capital.

Skills

Inventory management

Vendor negotiation

Leadership

Strategic sourcing

Brand/luxury knowledge

Education

GIA Graduate Gemologist

Tools

ERP systems

Procurement software

Job description

Director of Inventory & Buyer Operations

This is an On-Site role

Where exceptional jewelry meets exceptional operations.

Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry is looking for an experienced Director of Inventory & Buyer Operations to lead the strategy, systems, and people behind our extraordinary jewelry and gemstone inventory.

For more than 40 years, Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry has been rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area and recognized for our expertise in rare gemstones, custom jewelry, and new and pre-owned luxury timepieces. Our clients expect an exceptional experience—and behind that experience is a highly sophisticated inventory, sourcing, and buying operation.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who understands both sides of the business: the beauty and value of fine jewelry and gemstones, and the operational precision required to manage them.

What You’ll Lead

As Director of Inventory & Buyer Operations, you’ll oversee our inventory and buying functions while partnering closely with executive leadership, Sales, Finance, Production, and our network of suppliers and workshops.

You will:

• Lead inventory operations, controls, accuracy, security, and inventory-management systems.
• Develop and execute buying and sourcing strategies for diamonds, gemstones, precious materials, and finished jewelry.
• Build and manage strong relationships with trusted domestic and international vendors, suppliers, designers, and production partners.
• Negotiate pricing and terms while balancing quality, rarity, margin, inventory investment, and client demand.
• Partner with Finance and leadership on purchasing forecasts, inventory levels, working capital, and buying plans.
• Coordinate inventory and materials across Sales, Production, workshops, and suppliers.
• Support sourcing for special requests and our VIP clientele.
• Establish vendor performance and quality standards and help ensure ethical sourcing and traceability.
• Identify emerging sourcing opportunities, market trends, and exceptional pieces that complement the Stephen Silver brand.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the inventory and buying team.

The position builds on responsibilities contained in both existing roles, including supplier management, inventory systems, diamond and gemstone procurement, quality control, purchasing, sourcing strategy, and collaboration with Finance and Production.

Who We’re Looking For:

You’re a strong fit if you bring significant experience in the fine jewelry or luxury jewelry industry and understand diamonds, gemstones, jewelry manufacturing, buying, and inventory operations.

We’re especially interested in candidates with:

• Significant jewelry industry experience in buying, sourcing, procurement, inventory, or operations.
• Deep knowledge of diamonds, gemstones, precious materials, and jewelry manufacturing.
• Gemological training/certification; GIA Graduate Gemologist or equivalent preferred/required based on final position requirements.
• Strong vendor negotiation and relationship-management skills.
• Experience managing high-value inventory and implementing effective inventory controls and systems.
• Strong commercial judgment—you understand that a beautiful stone also has to make sense from a pricing, margin, demand, and inventory perspective.
• Leadership experience and the ability to develop a high-performing team.
• Exceptional attention to detail, discretion, organization, and follow-through.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial luxury environment.

The existing Buyer/Sourcer JD currently specifies GIA certification and extensive jewelry buying/sourcing experience, while the Inventory Operations Manager JD requires jewelry-industry experience and gemological certification.

You’ll join a collaborative, high-performing team with access to some of the most extraordinary jewelry, gemstones, and timepieces in the world.

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life insurance
• Flexible Time Off
• holiday pay
• winter break closure
• 401(k)
• daily lunches
• other company perks