Four Seasons

Head of Buying

£70,000 – 75,000 per annum

High Street Retailer

Dive into a world of possibilities with our client’s diverse range of apparel, designed to accommodate every taste and occasion. From essentials to statement pieces, our client’s product selection is crafted with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to quality.

As Head of Buying for our client, you will curate commercially viable ranges that meet both sales and profit targets, while maintaining a strategic business focus and working closely with senior management.

About The Role:

• Overseeing the development and delivery of seasonal buying strategies and ensuring products are aligned with key product lines.
• Presenting the figures, product and seasonal trends to the Managing Director.
• Keeping an up-to-date commercial understanding of current and future trends by visiting suppliers’, trade shows and competitors’ outlets.
• Have a sharp fashion eye with recognized ability to spot emerging trends.
• Planning, sourcing and buying of merchandise at category level in a commercial environment.
• Sourcing of suppliers from both inside and outside the European market at departmental and company level.
• Ensuring ranges are selected within timescales sufficient to meet required “on sale” dates in line with agreed company promotional calendars and making operational departments aware.
• Negotiating cost prices, achieving financial budgets set for sales, margins, stock and open-to-buy whilst taking into account range and sales plans.
• Analysing current and past sales information to identify success and failure, in order to plan effectively. Pro-actively sharing and discussing these strategies with senior management to drive the business forward.
• Taking the necessary action to ensure achievement of terminal stock and margin targets.
• Maintaining effective and professional supplier and factory relationships, so as to develop and sustain a sound supply structure fulfilling the Company profit requirements by using suppliers’ capabilities and specialities to best advantage.
• Overseeing the critical path meetings in that all key cut off dates are met and delays avoided.
• Training and developing members of the team to achieve their potential, focusing on the individual needs by working on development plans and continually reviewing.

Skills and Experience

• Ability to work on own initiative to meet tight deadlines and demonstrate a passion about product. Keeping up-to-date with all media channels, blogs, magazines, trends sites, music etc.
• Excellent leadership and motivational skills. Able to develop junior members of the team by understanding their individual needs.
• Full understanding of the merchandising role and the relationship between it and the buying department.
• Working closely to balance trading and planning to create timely and exciting ranges for the stores.
• Ability to adapt to a fast changing market.
• Excellent analytical skills and commercial awareness, always thinking strategically to drive company profit targets.
• Managing upwards – working closely with all senior heads of departments to build personal profile within the business.
• Proven ability to influence and negotiate effectively with suppliers and senior managers, and proven sourcing experience in Europe and other countries.
• Creative yet calm approach to problem solving.
• Proven previous experience at a senior level of buying within a fast moving, commercial ladies fashion environment, preferably at Head Office level.
• Maintenance of confidentiality at all times.
• Working closely with Design to captures and develop the latest trends and with Technologists to ensure fit satisfies the company’s high quality standard
• Undertake branch visits with senior managers during the year to ensure awareness of our business, market and competition.