Assistant Buyer

**Overview**:
JD Fashion Plc is a leading international multi-channel retailer of branded sports, fashion, and outdoor brands. Established in 1981 with a single store in the North-West of England, today JD is an industry leading retail business with over 60,000 colleagues and over 3,400 stores across a number of retail fascias in 32 markets around the world. JD is at the pinnacle of the global sports fashion industry, providing customers with a product range that remains both authentic and uniquely appealing across a highly differentiated omni-channel experience.

Our business model is split into Sports Fashion, Street & Premium Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms.

JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and has been a FTSE100 publicly quoted company since 2019. In FY21, JD Sports Fashion Plc generated revenues of £6,167.3m, underlying PBT of £324.0m and net cash of £795.4m and a market capitalisation of £7.275bn.

JD won the International Excellence award at the Drapers Awards 2021 and was named best performing share of the 2010s with revenues increasing from £770m in 2010 to £6.1bn in 2021

**Key Roles and Responsibilities**:

- Attending relevant trade shows where specified to support Buyer and increase market knowledge
- Assist Buyer by attending all appointments, with involvement in selection and editing of product
- Assist Buyer in the preparation of presenting ranges for sign off with the relevant functions.
- Preparation and presentation of performance in trade meetings
- Proposals to assist driving sales in your relevant department by reviewing sales and constantly looking for opportunities (i.e repeat buys)
- Complete and present to buyer the planograms for relevant category
- Regular dialogue with key brands to build relationships
- Research and be aware of new brands on the market to propose opportunities for relevant category
- Drive social media/marketing content via marketing and multichannel teams to ensure category features across all channels

**Core Competencies**:

- Extensive knowledge of our store base and website
- Strong awareness of product file to a line level detail
- Awareness of incoming stock and ability to manage the file in Buyer absence
- Confidence in building relationships with brands and internal departments within the business
- Acts as the lead partner between the Buyer and marketing/multichannel departments driving change and growth within social media.
- Proactive and confidence in suggesting changes
- Confidence to challenge and influence at all levels

**Skills/Experience/Knowledge needed**:

- Relevant branded buying or merchandising experience is advantageous but not essential
- Strong understanding and knowledge of current and upcoming sports fashion trends at a high street and premium level price point.
- Retail experience
- Fully literate in Microsoft Office: PowerPoint, Word, Excel
- Organisational skills are essential
- Must be able to work in a fast-paced buying office environment

**What we will offer you**:

- Development linked to your role with the business
- An opportunity to work across multi-brands both UK and Internationally