Senior Buyer - Footwear

The role

We’re looking for a Senior Buyer to join our Retail Team.

The Senior Buyer is responsible for planning, sourcing, developing, and selecting a commercial and successful range. They must use their knowledge and expertise to understand our customers’ wants and needs and create a strong multi-channel offering, whilst taking into account budgets and margin requirements. Overall, the Senior Buyer’s role is to build a range that both meets and exceeds the customers’ expectations while maximising profits and revenue.

What will you do as a Senior Buyer at N Brown?

1. Lead the product, sourcing & brand strategy.
2. Implement product category strategies and maximise performance & KPI’s across multiple product areas.
3. Drive and implement clear fashion trends to ensure exciting and commercial ranges are created across the appropriate customer group.
4. Achieve a bought-in margin (BIM) that supports market competitive prices, sales targets, and a good, better, best range that is in line with competition that achieves the Dept BIM.
5. Innovate & implement in terms of product opportunity, range, and attributes through strategic thinking.
6. Input into the development of the Supplier strategy for your departments.
7. Regularly seek out and meet new Suppliers to understand the Global Market and act upon the opportunities within.
8. Take ownership of Omni Channel Trading across all customer facia’s.
9. Strategically plan to react and trade to sales on volume lines by working closely with the Merchandising teams.

What skills and experience will you have?

1. Relevant experience ideally from a leading retailer at Senior Buyer level.
2. Strong negotiation skills.
3. Strong numerical and analytical skills; previous experience managing multiple ranges, OTB, and budgets.
4. Excellent communication skills; the Senior Buyer will work particularly closely with the Merchandising team, as well as working cross-functionally with additional internal and external stakeholders.
5. Leadership qualities; responsible for leading and motivating a team, as well as working collaboratively with other departments in the business.
6. Enthusiasm, determination, and commitment to the role.
7. Confident user of Microsoft Office (particularly Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), Outlook.

What’s in it for you?

• 24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays) with the option to buy an additional 10 days.
• Annual bonus scheme.
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave.
• Access to Apricity, a self-funding IVF benefit at a reduced rate.
• Company pension with up to 8% N Brown contribution.
• Mental Health support both internally and externally, including access to our wellbeing champions and counselling services.
• A range of financial wellbeing support.
• Colleague discount across all N Brown brands.
• Onsite café with subsidised rates and local restaurant discounts!
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance.
• Paid volunteer time – all our colleagues can take a full day paid to volunteer for a charity of their choice.

N Brown – who we are and why work for us?

At N Brown, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment that values equality for all. Our vision is that by ‘championing inclusion, we’ll become the most loved and trusted fashion retailer’. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are, therefore, at the heart of our culture.

We’re a forward-thinking digital retailer with a financial services proposition to be proud of. We’re customer-obsessed, serving them through three core brands: JD Williams, Simply Be, and Jacamo. We’re experienced, with over 160 years of trading under our belt. We’re inclusive as we believe in fashion without boundaries; and we’re sustainable, striving to make as little impact on the planet as possible.

In May 2024 we were delighted to be named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024. We work hard to create a happy and inclusive culture for everyone and we’re so proud to have made this list - as voted for by our very own colleagues!

Ways of Working

We offer hybrid working which varies across the business depending on the role you’re in. Our Head Office is located in the Northern Quarter in Manchester City Centre. So if you are travelling by train, tram, or bus we’re perfectly located, plus we’re surrounded by cool cafes, trendy bars, and the best places to eat!

Our full-time working hours are 36.17 per week over 5 days. We don’t have strict working hours; therefore, there is some flexibility around start and finish times as long as you are meeting the needs of the business.

Our promise to you:

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. 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.

What happens when you apply to a role at N Brown?

As soon as we receive your application, we’ll send you an email to let you know. We always aim to come back to you as soon as possible with an update and we really appreciate you taking the time to apply for a role with us. Good luck!