Assistant Buyer

Hybrid working:

This newly created role is an excellent opportunity to join my client's growing furniture and homeware business.

The Assistant Buyer position is unique in that you will be working closely with the Head of Product, interacting with them daily and having the opportunity to increase your knowledge and skill set. The role offers long term opportunities for progression and professional development and is the ideal opportunity for an individual who wants to take on more responsibility and grow.

Working on a hybrid basis, you'll be required to attend the office in Kent 2 days per week with the remainder working from home or attending the showroom and warehouse facilities in Derbyshire as and when required for product development sessions (this may be 1 to 2 days per month depending on the business needs). Some international travel is involved to attend European Trade Shows - approximately every 6 months.

The ideal candidate will have a background as an Assistant Buyer or Buying Assistant within the Homewares and Furnishings sector.

Job Overview

As the Assistant Buyer in our Furniture and Wall D??cor product category, you will work closely with a wide variety of teams within our business and report to the Product Director. You will have an interest in the Home and Furniture market and actively complete regular competitor reviews, sharing your insight with the team.

You will assist in developing the product range with global suppliers to source beautiful Home products for our nationwide customers. You will support on new product development and maintain the critical path to ensure product launches are on time.

Ensure all systems and administration is completed accurately and in a timely manner. You will manage samples and requests from stakeholders with a can-do attitude. You will work closely with stakeholders across the business to ensure the product meets our customer expectations.

Key responsibilities - Product Development

New trends & Market/Competitor Analysis

• Make observations about the Product assortment and research relevant trend inspiration based on our customer.
• Complete regular market competitor shops trips/research and make observations and recommendations about the assortment and give suggestions to improve the category based on research.

Product development & Briefing

• Contribute to brainstorm meetings, demonstrating your knowledge of relevant brands, sites, social pages etc which could provide inspiration to the range build.
• Attend design catch ups, capture any notes and actions and research into competitor activity to feedback any useful findings.
• Style details are inputted to the range planning documents on time and accurately. Working with the team to input details for supplier briefs and sending these out for costings.
• Capturing costs and keeping information updated and accurate

Supporting on Product Range building

• Understanding of what has/hasn't worked for the dept in terms of reactions in trade data and suggesting options based on this knowledge.
• Complete range packs and buy plans to ensure these are up to date with accurate data input. As you progress you may start to work out costing and negotiate with suppliers
• Updating range frameworks.
• Adding details to any sheets needed for analysis and discussing with team ways to improve range. As you progress in the role you will start to input in to identifying new product opportunities.
• You will work with the Quality and compliance teams to ensure product specifications are completed and accurate.

Key responsibilities - Administration and Communication

Stakeholder Management &Communication

• Maintaining good relationships with relevant teams and global supply base.
• Working collaboratively, you support with gathering product information for stakeholder requests.

Organisation

• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage processes, time management and prioritisation skills.

General Admin

• Assisting in general team administration: managing weekly/monthly team meetings in the calendar
• Accurate and timely SKU set up for relevant departments.
• Updating and filing all product data requirement.
• Sample management- Chasing in all samples to meet deadlines, arranging photoshoots with Studio team.
• Excel and PowerPoint skills are essential to provide presentation decks,
• Complete all product information in the NAV system and download reports.
• Any other ad hoc admin duties
• Proactively answer emails.

Critical Path management

• Good understanding of critical path and able to chase suppliers to meet deadlines.
• Catch ups with Merchandisers and Far East teams to ensure any delays are flagged and discussed in meetings and CP is updated before meeting.

Reporting

• Able to locate and read key information in weekly reports and call out/highlight important information to team in trade meetings.
• Supporting with completing packs. As you progress you will be able to present findings back to team

Online/ Customer Journey

• Site walks - Check regularly online for any mistakes to products and resolve where possible or escalate to relevant team, ensuring problems are corrected.

Teamwork

• Attending weekly updates and scheduled meetings.
• Communicating progress and any issues with meeting deadlines.
• Support those around them and have a can-do attitude.

Personal Development

• Desire to learn and develop self. Proactive in seeking feedback. Honest and open.

Experience & Skills Required

• Experienced Buying Assistant or current Assistant Buyer
• Knowledge of the Homeware market with passion for product
• Excellent interpersonal skills with strong communication skills
• Ability to work independently and to tight deadlines.
• Strong excel and presentation skills. Able to learn new systems quickly- knowledge of NAV would be great but not required.
• Able to read reports/data.
• Team player, collaborative and self-motivated.
• Organized and able to prioritise workload.