Junior Buyer

**It’s essential that when our customers come into store, or visit us online, they are able to find exactly what they are looking for. Whether that be a new paint color to brighten up downstairs bathrooms, a sofa-bed for the guest room/office, a packet of screws so you can FINALLY put up that painting you bought 6 months ago or even if they just come in looking for inspiration. We need to make sure that we always stock products that are exciting, on-trend, high quality, and just as unique as our customers are.**

**This is why we are seeking a Junior Buyer/Assistant Buyer to join our team, and help us achieve this**

**Salary: £25,000 - £30,000 (DOE) plus bonus earning potential**

**Contract**: Perm, 35 Hours per week, Monday - Friday (8am - 4pm OR 9am - 5pm)

**Location: Hybrid/Remote - Tuesdays & Wednesdays working from our store support offices in Milton Keynes.**

We operate a hybrid working policy which means you will be based out of our Milton Keynes Store Support Centre and you decide with your manager and team what works best for you and the role you do If that means working from home, then work from home. If you prefer to work in an office, store, or distribution center, then you're welcome to work from there. All we ask is that if your manager or team needs you, you are available to come into Milton Keynes for meetings, check-ins, collaboration, and some fun. This may be more regularly during some of our busier, peak periods (up to 4 days per week on occasion)

**The role**

**You will work with new and existing suppliers, identifying trends and shaping the future of our ranges. This is a highly targeted, challenging role but also one that we promise is incredibly rewarding. Ideally, we’re looking for someone with prior buying/ buying assistant experience who can make their mark straight away.**

**What will you be doing?**
- Supporting your manager in managing supplier performance, identifying potential new suppliers and supporting to build long-term supplier relationships
- Using insight tools to analyse and understand performance issues and opportunities
- Conducting regular store/website visits and reviewing customer insight and trends, helping shape our future product and range requirements for our customers
- Helping to build and source customer/market insight-led ranges and product innovation
- Negotiating with suppliers to agree and deliver market-leading buy/sell plans for your areas aligned to the customer plan & category strategy with support from your manager
- Supporting the delivery of trade, promotions & events plan, striving to exceed KPI's, drive footfall and forecast accurately
- Supporting the Supply Chain Plan, helping get our products in store on time
- Working with suppliers and the quality team to ensure product quality is achieved and maintained
- Adhering to all Homebase policies, ensuring all agreements are recorded in writing, reporting complaints to Legal within 48 hours of receipt
- Following our Business Code of Conduct and always acting with integrity and due diligence

**What you need to be successful**:

- Recent graduate or some buying experience
- Excited about working in retail
- Influencing, stakeholder management, negotiation skills
- Able to analyse data
- Cando attitude

An Interest in product development and trends

**What can we offer you in return?**

**Making your pay go further**
- 20% team member discount for Homebase and Bathstore when shopping in-store and online, available from your very first day with us
- We’ll give you the opportunity to enhance your pay through our fantastic, discretionary bonus plan
- Our Hapi To Be Home wellbeing portal helps you save money on everything from your weekly food shop to a fun night out with friends and family
- Holiday starting from 24 days plus bank holidays, rising with service

**Saving for your future and giving back to local communities**
- Homebase Personal Pension Plan (with Life Assurance cover)
- An opportunity to get involved in fundraising events, helping to raise money for our charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support to fund home-related grants. These grants help keep those most in need safe and comfortable in their homes
- Our Payroll Giving Scheme makes it easy for you to make a regular donation to any registered charity close to your heart

**Always growing together**
- We'll offer you learning and development opportunities to give you the tools to do your job and there is also the opportunity to earn recognised qualifications from City and Guilds and to gain apprenticeship qualifications to enhance/develop you in your role or career with us
- Our monthly Lunch and Learn sessions will help you grow with talks from external and internal speakers

Sounds like a team you’d like to be part of? Click **'Apply’** now - we’d love to meet you