Squires Garden Centres – Horticultural Support Buyer
Location: Group Office, Badshot Lea, Farnham
Full Time Hours: 40
Package: £competitive, Comprehensive benefits: Contributory Pension Scheme
Overview
Squires is a £75M+ turnover family‑owned business with 17 Garden Centres and 2 Plant Nurseries. The customer proposition spans Gardening and Restaurant business, Food, Giftware, Toys, Christmas, Clothing, Outdoor Living, Pets & Aquatics. As a family business we put people and our customers at the heart of everything, living our values with passion each day and aiming to grow, evolve and improve for our customers.
Specifics
- Garden Centres and nurseries based in Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire
- Group Office located in Farnham, Surrey
- Over 1,000 Employees with 100s of seasonals during Spring/Summer and Christmas
- High levels of Employee engagement
Why are we recruiting?
- Improve our product offer across centres, drive customer satisfaction, meet changing needs, and increase sales and profit
- Work with the Senior Buyer on plant categories and complementary product categories
- Collaborate closely with Nursery business to develop own‑grown product offerings
We are looking for someone who
- Drives sales, profitability, and customer‑valued product propositions
- Has extensive horticultural knowledge, including botanical nomenclature
- Defines ranging and space strategy by format and centre to optimise cash profit per square metre and deliver the customer proposition
- Supports Buyers and Garden Centre teams in range selection and performance
- Works well cross‑functionally and engages teams in direction
- Is a team player with integrity and strives to improve the business for customers and teams
Skills we are looking for
- Proactive and eager to learn
- Strong team player
- Confident decision‑maker
- Results‑driven with a commercial mindset
- Strong communication and influencing skills
- Risk management and problem‑solving ability
- Strong technical proficiency with an analytical mindset
Job Deliverables
- Selecting and purchasing products aligned with category strategy, customer demand and future trends
- Working with suppliers to develop new and exclusive products
- Supporting Senior Buyers in range planning, product development, and supplier negotiations
- Monitoring sales performance, analysing data to identify trends and opportunities
- Managing purchase orders, tracking deliveries, and ensuring stock availability
- Collaborating with the Buying Team to ensure accurate product and pricing information in internal systems
- Liaising with suppliers regarding samples, pricing and lead times
- Conducting competitor and market research to ensure competitive product propositions
- Supporting markdown planning and promotional activity
- Attending trade shows and supplier meetings as required
Key Performance Indicators
- Financial performance, inventory and stock management
- Sales efficiency
- Market position, customer and product metrics
- Trends and driven ranges
- ATV and sales growth
- Percentage and cash margin
Essential Experience/Qualifications
- Experience in Retail Buying
- Strong numerical and analytical skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel/Word
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- High attention to detail and strong organisational ability
- Commercial awareness and understanding of retail trends
- Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment
Desirable Experience/Qualifications
- Experience in EPOS
- Proven track record in delivering margin and sales growth in a retail environment
- Experience of cross‑functional working
Rewards & Benefits
- Employee Discount – 50% in Restaurants and 20% in Garden Centre on joining, increasing to 25% after 2 years' service and 30% after 5 years' service.
- Holiday (including bank holidays) – 5.6 weeks on joining increasing to 6.2 weeks after 2 years' service and 6.6 weeks after 5 years' service.
- Bonus – Non‑contractual bonus at Christmas based on company profit (first year dependent on start date).
- Pension – Defined Contribution Pension Plan; company matches employee contributions meeting government criteria.
- Attendance reward – 1 day holiday added after one full financial year with 100% attendance.
- Made A Difference Scheme (M.A.D.) – Reward scheme for outstanding customer service or initiatives; monthly winner selects a gift.
- Learning & Development – Wide range of learning opportunities.
- Birthday – Leave early on birthday after 6 months' service; £25 Squires gift voucher after 2 years (pro‑rata for <40h).
- Cycle2work scheme – 25%-39% saving on new cycling equipment after 1 year of service.
- Child’s first day at school – Late start and early finish after 1 year of service.
- RHS Membership or Tree/Shrub – Choose one tree or shrub (value up to £50) or RHS membership after 1 year.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – Eligible after 2 years, providing wellbeing resources.
- Retirement – After 15 years, reduced hours by a fifth with unchanged pay for final 3 months.
- Free Parking – Available for all employees in designated parking areas.
Squire's is a family-owned group of 17 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, and Berkshire. Since 1936 our purpose has been the happiness of those who work in it. We are committed to growing our business and promoting the highest standards in horticulture, catering, and retail. We want our staff to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic, customer‑focused environment.
