Footwear Buyer | Established - Senior | Circa £55,000 + Benefits | Manchester
Fuel your passion for footwear in a fast-paced, brand-driven buying environment.
What You'll Be Doing
As a Branded Footwear Buyer, you'll be the driving force behind building and delivering compelling, commercial, and trend-led branded footwear ranges. You live and breathe footwear, understand the nuances of branded assortments, and know how to turn data into sell-out collections. From strategy to store floor, you're all about creating the perfect line-up for our customers-across all channels.
Your Key Missions as the Buyer:
Planning & Strategy
Lead the seasonal strategy for your category-collaborating closely with the Head of Buying and Trading Manager
Present your vision to the Buying & Merchandising Director with confidence, aligning to our wider commercial goals
Analyse seasonal performance and market trends to inform data-led, customer-first decisions
Ensure ranges are tailored to store footprint, fascia, and channel needs, driving sell-through and limiting markdowns
Understand the branded landscape: from positioning and pricing to product mix and target customer
Use customer insight and trend forecasting to shape future range builds and category direction
Collaborate with Merchandising to produce detailed seasonal sign-off packs with clear sales and margin targets
Identify new commercial opportunities to grow market share and keep us ahead of the curve
Range Creation & Execution
Curate standout, brand-led assortments that speak directly to our customer profiles
Champion the critical path-ensuring range selections are delivered on time and with impact
Attend buying appointments, trade shows and brand meetings with a clear plan and purpose
Work with brands to develop exclusive or collaborative products that give us a point of difference
Build seasonal "go-to-market" strategies across store and online
Secure funding and support from brands to deliver meaningful marketing activations and in-store/online campaigns
Feed into VM and space planning to ensure premium presentation of your range
Partner with marketing teams to drive footfall and customer engagement with the right product, in the right place, at the right time
Trading & Performance
Monitor weekly KPIs and performance metrics to flag risks and opportunities
Drive in-season trading activity-including pricing, stock movement and marketing pushes
Contribute to weekly trading meetings and write monthly reports to inform future decisions
Work closely with Merchandising to ensure stock turns are optimised and profit is maximised
Regularly visit stores to assess product performance, presentation and local opportunities
Partnerships & Commercial Negotiation
Manage and build strong supplier relationships to drive value beyond just product
Negotiate commercial terms-think payment terms, returns, marketing support and margin improvements
Monitor supplier SLAs and ensure brand partners deliver against expectations
Leadership & Collaboration
Lead by example, promote collaboration across departments and champion a positive culture
Coach and support junior team members through regular feedback and development planning
Share best practices and contribute to a "right first time" mindset across the team
Encourage innovation and learnings to shape smarter buying practices
What We're Looking For
Proven experience in a branded buying role-footwear experience is a must
Commercially sharp, with strong planning, negotiation and analytical skills
Excellent brand awareness and understanding of customer behaviours and retail dynamics
Confident communicator with previous budget and financial accountability
Experience managing or mentoring junior team members is a bonus
A passion for product and a genuine love for footwear trends, brands and innovation
BBBH33851