Assistant Buyer - Beauty

As an Assistant Buyer, you will be responsible for our Beauty Buying department, supporting the Buyer in sourcing brands and product. You will work with the Buyer to negotiate the best terms for the business with suppliers. To ensure the ordering process is efficient and compliant with Selfridges processes and to assist the Buying Admin team where necessary.

As Assistant Buyer, you will:

• Supporting the buyer across the Beauty business – ensuring thorough knowledge of product and market
• Negotiate the best possible terms with suppliers i.e. margin, trade discounts, markdown support, working with the Buyer and Head of Buying where appropriate
• Forge strong partnerships with our brand partners
• Work with the Buyer and Buying Manager to ensure that Buying decisions are based on a sound commercial framework to drive sales and profit
• Monitor and review trade in season, making trading recommendations to the Buyer/Buying Manager where necessary.
• Support the Buyers Admin with weekly trade packs, feeding back and presenting key findings to Senior stakeholders
• Assist with range planning, working closely with the Merchandiser and Buyer/Head of Buying 
• Work with the Merchandiser to analyse performance, making recommendations to the Buyer i.e. to keep or discontinue within the business
• Communicate effectively with retail operations teams, particularly with regard to new season launches and product training
• Work closely with Marketing and PR and to be aware of promotional opportunities during negotiations with suppliers
• Be responsible for re-ordering, working within the OTB structure, ensuring decisions are communicated to the Administrator good time *
• Carry out research into key trends and put together look books for the area*
• Where relevant, to supervise the wider team and monitor workload
• Work closely with VM to ensure product placement optimises the look and performance of the department
• Ensure effective communication with retail operations teams, particularly with regard to new season launches and product training
• * N/B: in areas where there is a Buyer’s Assistant and an Assistant Buyer, this responsibility will be shared

A bit about you

• Highly knowledgeable. You will have a well-developed understanding of the product/market
• Buying Experience Required
• Strategic and operational. With strong analytical skills and experience driving long-term and profitable commercial strategies, you’ll be able to successfully manage projects through to completion. 
• Engaging. Able to influence your stakeholders, retail and brands, you know how to use both data and market trends to drive commercial opportunities 
• Customer focused. Combined with exceptional taste and instinct, you are able to push the boundaries to offer new and exciting product
• All over the numbers. You are numerate with a highly commercial approach, as well as proficient in excel
• Collaborative. Working flexibly as part of the wider Buying team you will support in projects and cross functional meetings as appropriate
• Organised with attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to influence
• An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague