Senior Buyer-12 Months FTC

Dunelm; Leicester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000

Job description

Overview

Home. There’s no place like it. And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do. We’re the UK's number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And the caring and supportive culture we've created makes this a place you'll feel right at home too.

We are the UK’s Number One homewares retailer offering over 85,000 products, building a consumer-focused total retail business that delights customers through our multichannel operation.

The Commercial Team environment is fast-paced and energetic. We are positive, ambitious, forward-looking and data driven. We have to take calculated risks, to keep growing market share. The goal of Commercial is to drive sales and profit for Dunelm through sourcing the best quality products, at the best prices, from sustainable and ethical sources. The Commercial Team encompasses Buying, Merchandising, Sourcing, Technical and Design. You will be a key member of the Commercial Team, accountable for executing the trading and sourcing strategy for your product department.

This is a hybrid working opportunity.

What you'll be doing

• Leading, coaching and upskilling a high performing buying team with a focus on growing talent and succession planning.
• A highly strategic thinker who will co-create, present, and deliver short and long term category strategy.
• Champions new product development and innovation working collaboratively with other key stakeholders. Challenges the status quo to make us unique in the market.
• Ensure there is a cohesive approach to Range Building across the category, overseeing option planning, products mix and price architecture always putting the customer first.
• Consistently reviews key trends, market research & data with the buying team to maximise opportunities, minimise risk and support the team making changes to the strategy when needed.
• Able to identify underlying trends using key insight and data.
• Develop and drive new and existing long term commercial relationships within a global supply chain attending overseas trips when necessary.
• Research and identify opportunities for new partnerships/acquisitions across FOB, DTS and DTC. Investigate new factories ensuring they are aligned with our technical and ethical standards.
• Highly skilled in negotiation and able to identify opportunities to tender product ranges to maximise profit and efficiencies within the supply chain.
• Support the team through managing existing supplier relationships, improving commercial terms for maximum cost benefit.
• Accountable for managing the budget, proposing trading actions to improve performance. End to end planning of the PLC margin to ensure exit planning is profitable.
• Oversees the promotional calendars and signs off new products ensuring great value and exciting product across all departments.
• Engaging the support of marketing, digital trading and stores to ensure that strategic priorities are fully represented to drive sales and profit.
• Work alongside the Quality team to ensure that products are the correct specification. Where quality issues are identified, support the Quality team to resolve at pace, minimising the cost to Dunelm. Work with the Quality team to improve our supply base, making it more ethical and sustainable and ensuring that Dunelm quality standards are met while holding suppliers to account.

What we'll look for in you

• A proven experience working in Buying.
• A real passion for homewares and the energy to constantly innovate and drive forward the product offer.
• A creative eye, able to develop new and innovative products working collaboratively with designers, technologists and suppliers.
• An entrepreneurial growth mindset with strong sense of accountability.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to lead others internally and externally, and influence at a senior level.
• A “get things done” mindset, knowing how to communicate the direction whilst delivering value quickly.
• Strong stakeholder communication skills, especially to senior members of Dunelm and our suppliers - demonstrating a "stronger together" approach.
• Track record for successfully negotiating in complex negotiations.
• Strong organisation skills, with clear ability to prioritise workload.
• Curiosity. Willing to listen and learn, being confident to make mistakes. Will ask for help when it’s needed and recognise where others need guidance or support.