MERCHANDISE BUYER

REPORTS TO: VP of Merchandising

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role will be responsible for achieving and or exceeding the financial plan, gross margin plan and turn plan for respective category. Partner with the VP Merchandising to develop and implement merchandising assortment plans to achieve financial objectives. Leads a team of Assistant/Associate Buyers and Merchandising Assistants.

The Merchandise Buyer will interface with associates throughout the Merchandising organization on a day to day basis, as well as work directly with cross-functional teams and partners.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Leadership -develop and fosters a teamwork atmosphere and encourage positive morale. Leads others to set and achieve challenging goals and high standards of performance. Analytical –possess strong business acumen and financial analysis skills Negotiation –ensure optimal terms with vendors and extended company partners Strategic -analyze sales trends against Assortment Plan and develops strategies as appropriate Communication -appropriately tailors messages to target audiences. Ability to speak and write clearly and concisely Problem Solving -solve a wide range of complex, business-related problems, which must consider short and intermediate term company-wide planning Professionalism – cultivates and embodies commitment to the organization’s vision, values, purpose and brand. Ability to engage teams and maintain inclusive culture during times of change. Organizational Savvy -maintain strong rapport throughout the organization and preserves relationships in difficult situations while tactfully expressing disagreements. Ability to build effective teams.



ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Responsible for selecting and purchasing product for categories of responsibilities Establishes retail price and negotiates margin Performs competitive assortment analysis of all branded & non-branded assortments, as needed Keeps abreast of product trends through industry research and develop strategies as appropriate Work with vendor community on emerging trends, assortments, product differentiation and business strategy Achieves plan inventory turn though partnering with Planner & managing inventory and receipt flow


Partners with Planner in managing inventory and entire receipt flow to deliver products in a timely manner while staying within open to buy budget Responsible for getting approval for new SKU's, PO extensions, cancellations, and manages backordered goods Review aged inventory results with planning division and develop appropriate exit strategy that fits the plan


ADDITIONAL SKILLS/REQUIREMENTS: Keen sense of fashion and the ability to manage category (s) from product development to finished goods Develop and/or procure fresh, trend-right product that is targeted to our core customer Demonstrates ability to achieve business results while maintaining multiple priorities Proven ability to create and execute a sound business strategy Strong retail math acumen, including elements of markup, margin planning, open to buy, inventory productivity measures Demonstrates managerial and leadership skills Strong communication and negotiation skills Ability to develop strong relationships across all levels of the organization Ability to maintain strong vendor partnerships Accessory experience a plus Willingness to travel, including weekends



EXPERIENCE: 3-5 years of relevant Buying and Corporate Retail/Fashion experience; minimum of 3 years within a multichannel retail environment preferred Must be proficient with Microsoft Office Tools i.e. Excel, Word and Outlook

EDUCATION REQUIRED: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Fashion/Retail Merchandising