Buyers Admin Assistant Opportunities

**Summary**

From Merchandising and Marketing - Product Development and Design, through to Supply Chain and Space Planning - our mission is to bring stylish wardrobe, home and beauty essentials to our customers via an easy, inspiring shopping experience online and in store that will delight them every time.

As we accelerate the transformation of our business to suit the changing needs of our customer, we need results-orientated colleagues that not only have a passion for our product, but a strong team working ethos, creativity and a healthy commercial aim to join us on our journey.

To stay close to customers, we expect our support teams to come into the office three days a week. We think that learning comes from working alongside each other, and that spending time with our teams makes us more creative and connected. It also means we can solve problems as soon as they arise, build trust, and get closer to our colleagues.
**All the details**

**What’s in it for you**

Being a part of M&S is exactly that - becoming a part and playing your part. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and always evolving business built on core values.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special
- 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third party branded products for you and one member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
- We have discretionary bonus schemes depending on your role and our business performance.
- Get cover for twice your salary up to age 70 (double with our Pension Plan).
- We’ll help you save through our Pension Savings Plan, Share Buy and Sharesave schemes.
- Save on everyday costs through discounts and offers and get access to great health benefits.
- Bike/accessory hire with Cycle to Work and save on tax and national insurance.
- Buy the latest technology with interest-free financing directly from your salary.
- Get access to resources to support your wellbeing, including a free virtual GP service.
- Support your favourite charities by donating through your pay or volunteering for them.
- Industry-leading maternity, paternity, adoption and neo-natal policies, providing support and flexibility for you and your family.

**What you’ll do**

As a Buyers Admin Assistant at M&S you will be instrumental in the smooth running of the Buying departments. Your role is to support the Buyer and Assistant Buyer in creating the perfect product range for our customers. If you love fashion, are product obsessed and want to start/continue a career in Buying please apply

Your key accountabilities will include
- Support the Buyer & Assistant Buyer by developing a clear understanding of M&S’ customer, ensuring the segments and demographics needs are understood and put at the heart of the product offer developed
- Support the Buyer & Assistant Buyer working with Design to interpret and adapt to market trends and direction, ensuring that the conceptual range developed is differentiating and targeted to the needs of the customer through compiling and presenting competitor shops.
- To support the Assistant Buyer with the co-ordination and development of product Tech Packs to ensure they are delivered complete and on time to minimise sampling lead times. To work with the Buyer & Assistant Buyer to ensure the departmental critical path is met, providing support to the buying and product development process and contributing to the management of the production critical path
- Manage the sample and product management process on a daily basis and ensuring that the floor / product rooms are tidy and compliant with H&S requirements. Work in collaboration with Sourcing Offices globally to help develop appropriate supply routes enabling the Department to react to trade.
- To support the Assistant Buyer with the co-ordination and preparation for range for sign off and systemic elements of the buying process, ensuring the timely completion of the relevant systemic approvals and processes
- Work with the Assistant Buyer to analyse historical sales in line with trends and design direction to manage product mix parameters including price architecture, colour balance, shape and margin to deliver a highly commercial and balanced range.

**Who you are**

Your skills and experience will include
- Either Buying experience with a major retailer or alternatively experience within a retail environment is a must
- Obsessed with product with a fantastic eye for fashion.
- Highly organised with attention to detail when performing tasks, ability to anticipate and manage problems, with an ability to prioritise and escalate where necessary
- Systems experience or a clear demonstration of the ability to learn to use systems quickly
- Knowledge of, or strong desire to learn about the end to end Buying process to take responsibility for Critical Path Management. Proactive in agreeing to take workload away from