As our Buying Manager, you will support the Director of Beauty Buying to manage our Beauty division. You’ll be instrumental in driving the creative and commercial direction of the category – sourcing new brands and products, negotiating the best terms for Selfridges, and ensuring Selfridges remains at the forefront of the beauty industry. You will manage the performance of a defined buying area, lead a team, and work cross-functionally to drive sales, optimise profitability, and enhance our unique product offer.
As our Buying Manager you will:
1. Work with the Director of Beauty Buying to develop and implement the creative strategy for the Beauty division, focusing on short-term and long-term objectives.
2. Source new brands and products to ensure that Selfridges maintains a market-leading position through knowledge and expertise of the product and market.
3. Negotiate the best possible commercial terms with suppliers, including margin, trade discounts, and marketing support.
4. Secure exclusive brand launches by developing compelling, commercially-led propositions that align with brand objectives and enhance Selfridges’ point of difference.
5. Drive sales and profitability, ensuring all buying decisions are grounded in a sound commercial framework.
6. Work closely with the Merchandise team to plan and monitor the OTB, review in season, and take necessary actions.
7. Lead on range planning, working closely with the Merchandiser Manager and Buyers.
8. Manage existing brand performance through regular analysis, making informed decisions on continuity, exit strategies, or further investment.
9. Manage concessions through regular meetings with the concession manager and analysis of performance, making recommendations to keep or discontinue within the business.
10. Ensure effective communication with retail operations teams, particularly regarding new season launches and support plans.
11. Collaborate with Social Media, Marketing, PR, and Digital teams to support key brands, new, and exclusive product launches.
12. Work with Property to ensure new concepts are implemented effectively, meeting commercial and creative requirements.
13. Coordinate with Retail Management and VM to optimise product placement for the best look and performance.
14. Oversee the ordering process, ensuring compliance and supporting the admin team in resolving errors.
15. Lead, develop, and coach your team, embedding effective training, succession planning, and communication processes.
16. Partner with the legal team on contract negotiations and concession agreements.
17. Identify and implement new concepts, drive and present CAPEX initiatives, and collaborate with the property team.
18. Support seasonal activities across the business.
How you’ll do it…you will be:
* An experienced Buyer level or above, ideally within a premium, luxury, or specialist retailer.
* A strategic thinker, able to identify opportunities to differentiate and elevate the beauty offer in a competitive market.
* Deeply knowledgeable about the beauty industry, with a good understanding of current and emerging trends globally and locally.
* Proactive in identifying new brands and concepts, passionate about innovation and bringing fresh ideas to market.
* Commercially astute and numerate, with a strong grasp of profitability and performance drivers.
* Highly skilled in negotiation, communication, and presentation.
* A strong influencer, capable of driving alignment and support for key initiatives at all levels.
* A collaborative leader who motivates and develops high-performing teams, fostering a positive and inclusive culture.
* Known for strong interpersonal skills, capable of engaging and inspiring cross-functional teams.
* Passionate about delivering a best-in-class customer experience through exceptional product and service curation.
* Experienced in developing and executing long-term category strategies aligned with business goals and brand values.
* Confident in interpreting data, market insights, and performance metrics to inform strategic buying decisions.
* Experienced in working cross-functionally with marketing, visual merchandising, e-commerce, and supply chain teams to deliver an integrated retail strategy.
* Agile and adaptable in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to respond quickly to trends and business needs.
* A proven track record of delivering sales growth and improving margins within a premium or luxury setting.
* Skilled in building and managing strategic supplier relationships supporting long-term success.
* Creative and solution-oriented, capable of tackling complex challenges and thinking innovatively.
* Highly organized, forward-thinking, and able to translate strategic vision into actionable, results-driven plans.
* Flexible and adaptable to evolving business needs, willing to take on new challenges as required.
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