Senior Buyer Home: Kitchen

Woolworths; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading South African retail company is seeking a Senior Buyer to develop and deliver a profitable, customer-led kitchen product strategy. This role involves managing the product lifecycle, leading collaboration with cross-functional teams, and driving product innovation. The ideal candidate will have significant buying experience with homeware, strong analytical skills, and proven leadership abilities. Interested applicants should send their CV to [e-mail].

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6–8 years’ buying experience with homeware, at least 2 years at a senior level.
• Experience in managing a kitchen portfolio is advantageous.
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Develop seasonal strategy aligned to business objectives.
• Lead range building with Design, Sourcing, and Planning.
• Oversee full product lifecycle ensuring quality and pricing.

Skills

Buying experience with homeware

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Creative flair

Merchandising

Sourcing

Leadership

Job description

Overview

To develop and deliver a profitable, customer-led Kitchen product strategy through the execution of seasonal departmental plans. The Senior Buyer will drive product innovation and commercial success, ensuring alignment with business objectives while leading collaboration across Planning, Design, Sourcing, and other key business partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing and executing a customer-led seasonal strategy aligned to key business objectives and brand positioning.
• Leading range building by partnering with Design, Sourcing and Planning to deliver trend-right, profitable assortments across channels.
• Leveraging insights from data, trend forecasts (e.g. EDITED, WGSN), customer analytics, and market research to inform product direction.
• Overseeing the full product lifecycle, from concept development to final sign-off ensuring product quality, pricing architecture and innovation.
• Conducting regular trade analysis to track product performance and implement actions that drive sales, improve margin, and manage stock health.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams (Marketing, Technical, Visual Merchandising) to ensure cohesive execution across touchpoints.
• Supporting the sourcing strategy by engaging with suppliers, managing costing, and ensuring adherence to the merchandise cycle.
• Mentoring and coaching Trainees & Buying Assistants, driving skills development, performance and career growth.
• Fostering strong internal and external relationships to influence outcomes and enhance collaboration across the value chain.
• Minimum of 6–8 years’ buying experience with homeware, with at least 2 years at a senior level.
• Experience in managing a kitchen portfolio is advantageous.
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of retail.
• A proven track record in delivering trend-right, customer-focused ranges that drive sales and profitability.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, leadership, and team development skills.
• Highly analytical, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle, sourcing, and merchandising principles.
• Excellent understanding of market, awareness of locally and international with a creative flair to interpret forthcoming moods, trends and themes.
• Demonstrates the ability to think strategically and formulate effective plans and strategies.
• Knowledge of markdown and mark up pricing, visibility to drive sales, sell-through.
• Proven experience in delivering and executing business and BU strategy.
• Ability to travel both locally and internationally.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills.

EEO statement: “As a proud South African brand, Woolworths is committed to transformation. Meeting our employment equity goals will be taken into account in our recruitment decisions.”

If you are interested in the above position, please send your CV to [e-mail] clearly stating the position you are applying for.