Buyer - Plants/horticulture

Clarity are delighted to be supporting an award winning and well known local business as they seek to recruit a Buyer to fulfil a permanent vacancy. This is a full time position working for a well established retail business within their back office function.

**The role**:

- To manage a selection of designated hardy plant categories across the brand, affiliate sites a in terms of range, pricing, promotional activity and supplier management.

**Key tasks**:

- To ensure that hardy plant ranges offered are compelling, appropriate, available and customer focused.
- To ensure the effective sourcing of hardy plants by managing the end-to-end process from supplier sourcing and management, to planning procurement, through to annual range launch.
- To ensure supplier contracts and terms agreements are maintained.
- To go above and beyond to make a difference within the garden retail industry by sourcing hardy plants that will delight our customers.
- To ensure customer needs and expectations are being met.
- To deal with issues and propose action where necessary.
- To drive sales and profitability, ensure budgets are met and financial targets are achieved.
- To ensure appropriate pricing and margin.
- To make pricing and promotional decisions and implement on a timely basis.
- To create strong promotional plans for the range, key seasonal events and other category initiatives and ensure success in delivery.
- To take responsibility for managing hardy plant stock and maximise availability in conjunction with the procurement team and wider plant team.
- To ensure quality of plants.
- To identify gaps and opportunities for the business within the market sector.
- To consistently demonstrate insight of competitors, target customers and market dynamics.
- To keep up to date with category knowledge.
- To attend trade shows and supplier meetings both in the UK and EU as required, taking the lead where required.
- To measure and evaluate the success of activities.
- Any other reasonable duties/requests as required.

**Key experience, knowledge and skills**
- Good knowledge of hardy plant buying and promotions, ideally with a minimum of 3 years UK experience of **hardy nursery plants.**:

- Experience with EU suppliers would be an advantage.
- Ideally holds a National Diploma qualification in hardy nursery stock.
- Computer literate (Excel & Word).
- Good planning and organisational skills.
- Ability to work to time pressures in a fast moving and rapidly changing market.
- Basic financial awareness and ability to interpret data.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills - a team player.
- Driving licence.