Christmas Buyer

**Christmas Buyer**

**Monday - Friday (8:30am - 5pm)**

**Wickford, Essex**

**£50,000 - £75,000**

As a Christmas Buyer, you will play a pivotal role in curating and procuring a wide range of Christmas-themed products. You will be responsible for selecting, sourcing, and negotiating the purchase of festive merchandise. This role requires a keen eye for trends and strong negotiation skills.
- **Responsibilities**:_

**1. Product Selection**:

- Research and identify trends.
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of the customer base.
- Collaborate with the marketing and sales teams to align product selection with the company's objectives.

**2. Sourcing and Procurement**:

- Build and maintain relationships with suppliers and vendors, seeking new partnerships when necessary.
- Negotiate terms and conditions to secure competitive pricing, quality, and delivery schedules.
- Continuously evaluate and re-evaluate the market to ensure optimal product selection.

**3. Inventory Management**:

- Monitor inventory levels and work with the inventory management team to ensure adequate stock of Christmas products.
- Analyse sales data to optimize inventory levels and minimize excess stock or shortages.
- Implement effective inventory control and replenishment strategies.

**4. Quality Control**:

- Perform regular quality assessments of products to ensure they meet company standards.
- Address and resolve any quality issues with suppliers promptly.
- Maintain product quality and safety standards to meet legal requirements.

**5. Budgeting and Cost Control**:

- Develop and manage the annual Christmas budget, keeping a keen eye on cost control and profit margins.
- Ensure the efficient allocation of resources to maximize profitability.

**6. Departmental Collaboration**:

- Work closely with the marketing team to develop and execute marketing strategies to promote Christmas products.
- Provide input on product descriptions, images, and promotional campaigns.
- Collaborate on the creation of eye-catching displays and marketing materials.
- Work closely with the retail team to ensure products are visually merchandised in stores.
- Deliver in-store rollout.
- Ensure that training guides are produced to enable the Customer Service department are fully equipped to answer customers questions and queries.

**7. Compliance and Regulations**:

- Stay informed about relevant laws and regulations.
- Ensure that all products adhere to safety and compliance standards.

**About You**:

- Proven experience in product buying, preferably with a focus on seasonal products.
- Understanding of retail and merchandising.
- Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
- Excellent analytical and data-driven decision-making abilities.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work well in a team and collaborate with cross-functional departments.
- Creativity and a deep understanding of Christmas trends.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Proficiency in using Microsoft Excel.

**Benefits**:

- Employee Assistance Programme
- Birthday Celebrations
- Staff Events
- Employee Discounts

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

**Salary**: £50,000.00-£75,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Holidays
- Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

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

Work authorisation:

- United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: Christmas Buyer