Footwear Buyer

Goodwin Recruiting; Tyler (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company-paid health insurance

Relocation assistance

Onsite position in East Texas

Job summary

Goodwin Recruiting is seeking an experienced Footwear Buyer (Workboots) to own a high-volume footwear assortment in East Texas. You will drive product strategy, select styles, and build strong vendor partnerships for a multistore retailer.

Candidate must have 6+ years in retail buying, strong financials know-how (OTB, IMU, AUR, margins), and hands-on leadership to coach junior associates. Onsite role with relocation support available.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive footwear retail buying experience.
• Proven experience in product selection, assortment development, vendor negotiations, pricing, and merchandise financial management.
• Strong understanding of retail financials, including OTB, IMU, AUR, gross margins, and inventory turnover.
• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead product selection, assortment development, pricing, and promotional strategies across assigned footwear categories.
• Develop profitable assortment plans, including style mix, key items, retail pricing, IMU, AUR, and purchasing quantities by style, size, and color.
• Manage sales, margins, open-to-buy, and inventory productivity while partnering with Planning to optimize store-level assortments.
• Build strategic vendor partnerships, negotiate purchasing terms, analyze market trends, and identify new product opportunities.
• Monitor category performance and respond proactively to changes in customer demand, competitive activity, and sales trends.

Skills

Merchandise buying

Vendor negotiations

Sales analysis

Merchandising leadership

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Merchandising or related field

Equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Footwear Buyer (Workboots)

A well-established, growing specialty retailer is seeking an experienced Footwear Buyer with strong merchandise buying expertise, excellent product instincts, and a proven ability to drive sales and profitability.

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative, entrepreneurial Buyer to take ownership of a high-volume footwear business, influence product strategy, develop compelling assortments, and build strong vendor partnerships within a successful multistore retail organization.

Compensation & Benefits

• $110,000–$130,000 base salary
• 20% bonus opportunity
• Company-paid medical insurance premiums
• Relocation assistance available
• Significant category ownership and professional growth opportunities
• Onsite position in East Texas

Requirements & Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive retail merchandise buying experience, ideally within a multistore retail organization
• Proven experience in product selection, assortment development, vendor negotiations, pricing, and merchandise financial management
• Strong understanding of retail financials, including OTB, IMU, AUR, gross margins, and inventory turnover
• Demonstrated ability to analyze sales performance, identify opportunities, and make profitable buying decisions
• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word
• Ability to work onsite and travel up to 20%

Preferred Background & Skills

• Direct buying experience in footwear, workboots, western boots, workwear, apparel, or accessories
• Familiarity with western and work footwear brands, sizing, fit, and product features
• Experience developing private-label products or exclusive merchandise assortments
• Experience supporting both physical retail stores and e-commerce
• Previous merchandising leadership or experience coaching junior associates
• Experience with a multistore retailer operating 50 or more locations
• Strong Associate Buyers with meaningful category ownership and demonstrated readiness to advance may also be considered

Key Responsibilities

• Lead product selection, assortment development, pricing, and promotional strategies across assigned footwear categories
• Develop profitable assortment plans, including style mix, key items, retail pricing, IMU, AUR, and purchasing quantities by style, size, and color
• Manage sales, margins, open-to-buy, and inventory productivity while partnering with Planning to optimize store-level assortments
• Build strategic vendor partnerships, negotiate purchasing terms, analyze market trends, and identify new product opportunities
• Monitor category performance and respond proactively to changes in customer demand, competitive activity, and sales trends
• Partner with Marketing and Merchandising teams to drive omnichannel performance across stores and e-commerce
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and provide guidance, coaching, and support to junior merchandising associates
• Attend markets, vendor meetings, and store visits as needed

JOB ID: 182421#post

Wendy Krepp