Assistant Buyer - Own Brand Homewares

About us

We are The Very Group and we’re here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That’s why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on (url removed) to help them say yes to the things they love. We’re just as passionate about helping our people get more out of life too; building careers with real growth, a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing.

Own Brand Homewares is a fast-paced category responsible for a broad range of products from Lighting and Decorative Accessories through to Home Textiles and Tableware. We work with suppliers across the Far East, Europe and the UK to source and develop great value trend led products for our customers. We are on a journey to transform our Own Brand ranges, this is a really exciting time to join the category and be part of our future growth.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Assistant Buyer who will report directly into the Buyer for the area. In the role you will focus on the following areas;

·Product development – with ownership of multiple product categories you will work closely with an internal design team and your supply base to develop commercial ranges suited to our customers and in line with our aspirations for Own Brand Homewares

·Working closely with internal merchandising functions you will be responsible for day to day trading of your product areas and be able to communicate risks, opportunities and actions

·Understanding of department critical path, supply base and trading calendar.

·Day to day communication with supply chain to enforce the critical path ensuring photo samples, approvals, sealing samples and photo-graphics are on time.

· Sample management, chasing samples ahead of sign offs, liaising with VM teams to ensure visibility of newness

*Please note this role is a 12 month fixed term contract

We’re looking for a candidate who already has experience at this level or someone who has transferable skills in a relevant profession and can demonstrate a proven understanding and passion for buying. Ideally the successful candidate will have experience of the following;

· You will have experience of working on a Homewares category and be passionate about Home and Interiors products and trends

· You will have product development experience and be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to build commercial ranges and work closely with designers and suppliers

· You will be highly organised with great communication skills

· You know how to analyse performance and apply lessons learnt to future range building

· You can pre-empt potential challenges that may impact team or trading and take steps to minimise them before they arise

· You will build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders

·  Able to deputise for the Junior Buyer/Buyer in key meetings.

SOME OF OUR BENEFITS

-  Flexible, hybrid working model

-  Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews

-  £250 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs

-  27 days holiday + bank holidays

-  Udemy learning access

-  Bonus potential (performance and business-related)

-  Up to 25% discount on (url removed)

-  Matched pension up to 6%

-  More benefits can be found on our career site

How to apply

 Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS, Right to Work checks and if a specific requirement of your role a DBS (criminal records) check. Should your application progress we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions.

What happens next?

Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely.

You can expect a two-stage interview process for this position:

1st stage - An informal 30-minute video call with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.

2nd Stage – A one-hour formal interview where you can expect both competency and technical questions. This can be held either in-person or remotely.

As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.

If you'd like to know more about our interviews, you can find out here.

Equal opportunities

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.