Senior Buyer: Margin-Driven Vendor Negotiator

Buywander; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Vacation, Sick & Holidays

Health, Dental & Vision

401(k)

Job summary

BuyWander, a rapidly growing retail buyer, seeks a Buyer who owns vendor relationships, negotiates landed costs, and moves quickly on complex truckloads. You will evaluate loads, secure favorable terms, and drive margins within a dynamic open-to-buy framework.

This role requires at least five years in buying or vendor management, a proven track record of improving terms, and the ability to read manifests and negotiate under pressure.

Qualifications

• Five or more years in buying, procurement, sourcing, or vendor management with direct ownership of negotiated outcomes.
• Demonstrated track record of improving cost or terms, with specific numbers behind it.
• Sound commercial judgment under time pressure, including deciding on a load from a manifest rather than inspection.
• Relationship-building skills that open doors and earn priority access, with willingness to hold a vendor accountable or walk away.
• Strong analytical fluency using margin and recovery data, comfortable with spreadsheets and an internal platform (Chuck).
• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, finance, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate cost, terms, and freight allowances with inventory sources and hold vendors accountable when loads do not deliver as sold.
• Evaluate truckload manifests under time pressure and make buy recommendations grounded in margin and recovery data.
• Own vendor conversations after the monthly source scorecard, including renegotiations and exits.
• Build and maintain relationships across retailers, liquidators, distributors, and 3PLs to earn BuyWander first look on quality loads.
• Develop new qualified sources to reduce dependence on any single supplier.
• Execute all purchases within the open-to-buy budget set by Merchandise Planning, with deliberate exceptions.

Skills

Negotiation

Vendor management

Relationship building

Analytical thinking

Cost optimization

Decision making under time pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or related field

Tools

Spreadsheet proficiency

Internal platform (Chuck)

Job description

BuyWander, a rapidly growing retail buyer, seeks a Buyer who owns vendor relationships, negotiates landed costs, and moves quickly on complex truckloads. You will evaluate loads, secure favorable terms, and drive margins within a dynamic open-to-buy framework.

This role requires at least five years in buying or vendor management, a proven track record of improving terms, and the ability to read manifests and negotiate under pressure.