Assistant Buyer

The job holder will be responsible for supporting the Category Buyer for buying operations through Product Sourcing, vendor identification, evaluation, and selection for the Furniture Department.

Vendor and Product Research

Keep abreast of the latest trends in buying and assess realign the existing processes.

Support to identify and leverage alternate buying opportunities to source products and ensure that the company maintains its competitive edge by constant renegotiation.

Support in developing an adequate vendor base for the company through attending fairs & exhibitions.

Build and maintain relationships with vendors and suppliers and negotiate the best deals for procuring merchandise.

Maintain contact with vendors; update the list of vendors for bidding purposes; attend product demonstrations, obtain samples and literature regarding potential products and vendor capabilities, and confer with end users.

Identify, evaluate, and suggest an appropriate vendor mix to achieve business objectives.

Order Management

Place orders for new items and initiate repeat orders for the category based on the Buying plan and Planogram. Ensure merchandise is delivered as per the plan based on the agreed service level agreement.

Follow up with suppliers for production and packaging status.

Support the Category Buyer to implement financial and credit services agreements with the vendor that maximize profit and positively contribute to cash flow.

Market & Competition Study

Conduct market and competition studies in categories he is responsible for and suggest new product ranges accordingly.

Minimum Requirements

• Must have 4-5 years of relevant experience in Furniture buying.
• Good knowledge of the Furniture category.
• Good knowledge of the Retail Industry and products.
• Planning and organizing skills.
• Analytical skills.
• Commercial business acumen.
• Market research & competition study.

An assistant buyer works closely with vendors, maintaining positive relationships while negotiating specs, pricing, and deadlines. They must be able to work independently and prioritize job duties, as well as prepare cost analyses and competitive retail strategies. They must communicate with merchandise departments, logistics, finance, operations, clubs, and vendors to provide information and problem solve.

Key Responsibilities and Process

Range Planning with the Senior Buyer and updating the Range Plan File for each season, prior to leaving for the buying trip.

Co-ordination with the Design Team for Development packs / Art works etc.

Dispatch the Development packs to the respective Vendors & follow up the Costing sheets from them.

Travel on seasonal buying trips for order placement.

Send the POs to the Vendors & follow up the PIs.

Upload the POs into the System & send the Barcode files to the respective Vendors.

Oversee the Product Approval process with the Merchandiser / QA Team.

Monitor the orders with the Vendors on a weekly basis & follow up the shipments up to respective territories.

Follow up on vendor payments.

Prepare the final seasonal Range plan for the VM Team / Retail Team / Warehouse Team.

Update the Buying Summary on a daily basis for budget updates.

Monitor the Store Level Sales to ensure that the Store Sales are in line with the Targets. If not, work with the Retail Team to understand the reasons for the gap and take necessary actions.