Head of Buying and Merchandising

About The Company
We are one of the fastest growing startups in the UK and are soon to launch internationally. We've shipped over 250,000 products, tripling revenue in 2023, and more than doubling again last year.

We offer luxury clothing and homewares, but without the luxury prices. We connect our customers with the best manufacturers in the world so they can buy the highest quality goods straight from the factory floor at prices that are 40-80% less than usual.

We are the antithesis of fast fashion and serious about sustainability and conscious consumption. We are B Corp certified, have removed all hard chemicals from our supply chain and use mostly organic inputs (cottons, linens etc). Last year we donated over £20,000 to homelessness and women's support charities.

We have been on a rocketship trajectory and are hugely ambitious. We're on a mission to become one of the largest luxury goods retailers in the world over the next 10 years, significantly reshaping the industry as we grow.

If you'd like to join us on this wild journey, then read on below and join our incredible team.

The Opportunity
The Head of Buying & Merchandising is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping and executing Rise & Fall's product strategy to fuel growth, profitability, and brand desirability. This leader will blend deep market knowledge, strong commercial acumen, and exceptional product instinct to deliver compelling ranges that exceed customer expectations while meeting margin and financial targets.

The Head of Buying & Merchandising will report into the founders and work closely with the in-house Head of Design, Head of Product Development and Creative Director. They'll be managing an internal team of three with the expectation that this will grow over time.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and own R&F's buying strategy, ensuring it aligns with brand positioning, customer expectations, commercial targets, and growth ambitions.
• Build and maintain a balanced, commercially robust assortment across categories combining core continuity lines, seasonal newness, and innovative opportunities.
• Lead end-to-end range architecture, ensuring optimal breadth, depth, pricing architecture, and product flow to maximise sales, sell-through, and full-price performance.
• Continuously analyse markets, competitive assortments, and emerging trends to identify whitespace and commercial opportunities.
• Translate market and trend intelligence into clear product recommendations, ensuring Rise & Fall stays ahead of customer needs while remaining true to its premium-value positioning.
• Own category financial performance, ensuring margin targets, profitability goals, and trading KPIs are met or exceeded.
• Oversee merch planning and forecasting, aligning buys with trading expectations, demand curves, and growth plans.
• Provide accurate, timely reporting on performance, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership.
• Build and lead a high-performing buying & merchandising team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and commercial excellence.
• Build and maintain a high-performing supplier base, ensuring competitive pricing, reliability, and scalability across all womenswear categories.

Who We're Looking For
You'll be a hands-on buying and merchandising leader, excited by both strategic thinking and execution. You'll bring ideas, energy, and hustle to a fast-paced business with high standards and a test-and-learn mentality.

We're Looking For Someone Who Can

• Commercially decisive and data-driven, able to translate complex trading, customer and market insights into clear product and margin strategies across all categories.
• Strategic range architect with strong financial discipline, building assortments grounded in demand forecasting, sell-through behaviour, and performance analytics.
• Highly analytical operator who balances intuition with evidence, using data to pressure-test buys, validate opportunities, and reduce risk.
• Clear, influential communicator who aligns cross-functional teams around a single, insight-led buying vision, ensuring consistency, focus, and accountability.

Culture
Rise & Fall is an ambitious, agile and mission-driven business. Their team thrives on pace, autonomy, and high standards – but without ego. They care deeply about product integrity, sustainability and building something meaningful. It's a place where ideas are encouraged, pace is embraced, and curiosity is celebrated. They're building a culture where smart, passionate people can do their best work, grow quickly, and shape the future of the brand.

Office
2-4 Exmoor St, W106BD. Just off Ladbroke Grove, a short walk to Goldborne Rd and Portobello Road.

Hybrid working - currently minimum two days in the office.

Interview Process

• Screening call with the founder or head of design
• 1st Stage Interview – Founder/Leadership Team
• Task Preparation
• Task Presentation and 2nd Stage Interview
• Final Interview – Wider Team & Cultural Fit

Benefits & Package

• Competitive leading salary
• Generous options grant – participate financially in the growth you will help create
• Flexible/remote working environment
• Generous holiday allowance (33 days)
• Generous employee product discounts
• Opportunity to be part of a high-growth, purpose-driven brand with international ambitions