Strategic Retail Buyer - Hybrid & Data-Driven Merchandising

New Balance; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 71,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Lifestyle reimbursement

Vacation days

Holidays (4 weeks)

Job summary

New Balance is seeking a Merchandise Buyer to lead the overall merchandising direction for a category, department, or channel. You will create product assortments and buy plans aligned with customer needs, competitive insight, and business analysis, managing inventory and lifecycle from planning to purchase orders.

You will collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Store Operations to execute seasonal assortments and ensure timely launches, with a focus on achieving sales and margin targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 1-3 years retail or related experience.
• Proficient PC skills, including MS Office Suite and advanced Excel skills.
• Proficient use of retail merchandising and reporting system.
• Mastery of all components of retail math.
• Ability to think and plan strategically and make buying decisions 1-2 years in advance.
• Aptitude to analyze discrete data to identify trends, issues and opportunities.
• Effective communication skills at multiple levels within the organization including senior management.

Responsibilities

• Execute bottoms up planning by category, assortment and buy plans to achieve financial plans that meet sales and margin goals.
• Partner with Merchandise Planner to complete open-to-buy forecasts and action steps.
• Ensure the merchandise selection aligns with customer needs and satisfaction.
• Share customer and competitive landscape with cross-functional partners; stay current on fashion trends.
• Partner with Product Merchandising to develop category profile and strategy for product needs.
• Develop demand plans for 6-24 months out using analysis and forecasting.

Skills

Retail math

Excel skills

Merchandising systems

Strategic planning

Data analysis

Critical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

New Balance is seeking a Merchandise Buyer to lead the overall merchandising direction for a category, department, or channel. You will create product assortments and buy plans aligned with customer needs, competitive insight, and business analysis, managing inventory and lifecycle from planning to purchase orders.

You will collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Store Operations to execute seasonal assortments and ensure timely launches, with a focus on achieving sales and margin targets.