Fashion Buyer

**Buyer** at WoolOvers / Wourth Group

**Job Description - **reporting to Buying Director

**Technical Competencies**
- Managing and maintaining mutually beneficial supplier relationships in line with agreed sourcing strategy direction. Monitor and oversee service level and overall performance of supply chain. Monitor sample efficiency and fit efficiency
- Identify where new product development or underperformance amounts to a sourcing need
- Manage profitability of department together with the Merchandiser, in line with projected levels of business
- Negotiate cost prices to ensure margins are achieved with best product delivery
- Develop departmental strategies together with the Merchandiser that reflect the overarching product strategy
- Conduct in depth aspirational research and development each season to keep product offer moving on and to brainstorm effectively with Designer
- Own and drive the product development process from design brief to product launch. Understands buying calendar of a multi-channel business including wholesale element. Make decisions in context of correct commercial balance between aesthetics and profit without compromising brand
- Working with Designer to build balanced and beautiful collections to fit in with the seasonal design direction and colour palettes. Source yarn / fabrics and trims to suit OTB and customer. Work very closely with the other dept Buyers to provide optimum outfits opportunities.
- Manage the product critical path from start to finish to ensure intake and distribution targets are met
- Attending all fit sessions, working closely with the Garment Tech team, ensuring product styling and fit is on brand and of a high commercial standard
- Operates as the link between Design and Production Quality Control. Is able to confidently field all Customer service queries and challenges
- Responsible for the entire fit sealing process, ensuring it coincides with the critical path and garments are sealed in line with the commercial strategy of the brand
- Understand the competitive market place and oversee regular competitive shopping reports.
- Have a clear understanding and usage of main business reporting documents. Be able to confidently suggest trading actions and identifying opportunity and risk week to week, month to month, season to season.
- Monitor competitor price architecture and movements within season and over seasons and be able to recommend pricing action if appropriate.
- Understand and manage your dept product in the catalogue process and the need for all garments to be available for shoots, be photographable and understand the importance of styling and outfit building for our target customers.
- Team development and coaching for junior members to grow in their roles and take on greater responsibility over time
- When needed, present product / collections to different business departments eg Customer Service, Creative team, Senior Leadership team
- Be highly competent on Excel and Powerpoint and the internal business systems

**Behavioural Competencies**
- Be a calm, mature and confident department manager
- Have a senior impact and profile within the business
- Be flexible to adapt to a fast changing environment and industry
- Be able to handle a wide workload juggling lots of priorities with a positive can do attitude
- Be able to receive challenge well and be able to deliver it constructively
- Be able to step up to increased work load as and when projects are needed
- Be a brand ambassador and a role model for more junior members of the team
- Be good at interdepartmental communication and influence
- Be the trusted expert on your department for senior management
- Be a passionate advocate for your product area and natural clothing and sustainability

Join WoolOvers / Wourth Group as a Buyer to contribute to our global brand's success by driving product excellence and fostering supplier partnerships.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £34,000.00-£44,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- Company events
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free flu jabs
- Gym membership
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
- Store discount

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Burgess Hill: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Application question(s):

- have two years minimum of apparel buying range responsibility

**Education**:

- Bachelor's (preferred)

**Experience**:

- Fashion Buying: 2 years (required)
- Sourcing garments: 2 years (required)

Licence/Certification:

- BA in Fashion or a related degree (required)

Work Location: In person