Senior Assistant Buyer Backpacks and Bags

Key Responsibilities

• Assisting in seasonal range plan development - analysing customer buying patterns, forecasting sales and predicting future trends, presenting findings in reports and presentations in a clear and logical format, this will include ratio calculations for size and colour;
• Buying global markets: UK, EU, NA, NZ, AUS, ensuring each market has the right balance of technical, lifestyle and travel‑focused bags. 
• Working with your Buyer to maximise profits and build a commercially viable, competitive assortment.
• Assisting in regularly reviewing stock, sales and orders and react with necessary urgency to ensure sales, stock & profit targets are achieved.
• Maintaining relationships with suppliers.
• Liaising with other departments within the organisation to ensure projects are completed
• Participating in promotional activities, helping the buying and merchandising team to identify slow moving stock, suggesting marks downs or promotions, as well as coordinating promotions and clearance events in store.
• Creating style books for products, identify when to update trim labels, fabrications and packaging, and liaise with graphic designer to ensure a consistent brand image.
• Managing the critical path, monitoring all orders from initial product development through to delivery, ensuring the smooth running of the development process, maintaining delivery schedules and key deadlines throughout.
• Managing sample process ensuring all designs and fabrications are executed correctly, meeting brand requirements.
• Lab dip and trim approvals and feeding back to suppliers
• Training and mentoring the BAA in the team.
• Approving PTS, for shipments.
• Attend fit meetings with QC, making suggestions on fit, styling, trims etc., as well as signing off sample

We would like to meet someone who is

• You will have relevant experience at Assistant Buyer level within an own buy retailer
• Experience in Bags or Rucksack buying beneficial 
• Experience of fully managing the critical path for your department
• Be aware of competitors and help to try and keep MW the best value on the high street
• Confident approach to offer suggestions on the type and quantity of product for the department given the budgeted OTB
• Good interpersonal skills – able to build and manage relationships with colleagues and suppliers, communication is key at all times
• Strong IT skills most importantly in Excel or equivalent
• Commercial and keeps up to date and aware of market trends, changes in demand
• Able to fully understand customer needs and demands (e.g. price, quality, availability)
• Strong time management skills and able to prioritize as this is a never-ending job and there will always be more to be done

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Hybrid working, 3 - 4 days in London based office & 1 - 2 working from home
• Holiday allowance
• 50% staff discount & 25% for family and friends
• Pension scheme