About the Role
Great style requires exceptional leadership! We are looking for a highly experienced Own Brand buyer to take ownership of our high visibility Menswear Own Brand Casual Clothing category. This role is of high strategic importance, and your sharp trend‑awareness and product development expertise will define our competitive edge. Partnering with Merchandising, you will analyse market data to build a distinctive, high‑margin casualwear assortment from the ground up, while leading a talented team and coaching them to commercial success.
Key Responsibilities
- Work at pace and agility within a collaborative environment with the Buying Manager, Head of Buying, Trade Planning, Trading & Product Operations team, Design and Product Technology.
- Maintain strong external relationships with suppliers, brands and external teams.
- Accountable for the commercial success of a product range, through range planning and agile in‑season trading.
- Ensure you have up‑to‑date expert market knowledge for the category and can predict future market dynamics.
- Build and maintain strong brand relationships, ensuring adherence to required standards and agreed terms.
- Own product development, range planning, product assortments, sourcing, brand positioning, price structure and margins in line with category and customer strategy.
- Collaborate to make season trading and volume decisions with suppliers and commercial terms throughout product lifecycle.
- Deputise for the Buying Manager when appropriate.
- Foster a collaborative and high‑performance team culture, providing leadership and guidance to the buying team.
- Support professional development and growth of team members, ensuring a skilled and motivated workforce.
- Lead success‑driven, cross‑department working through effective stakeholder relationships.
- Coaching and developing the team of Buying Assistants.
- Support the Buying Manager L5 in building a product strategy.
- Develop and buy market‑leading own brand ranges, managing the product lifecycle from launch to exit.
- Collaborate with Merchandiser to prepare and share a Standardised Range Plan, in line with critical path, to hand over to the Central Operations Team.
- Sign off product ranges and branch grading with Buying Manager and Head of Buying when required, using reporting from Product Operations.
- Propose Balance to Achieve across commercial KPIs for the assortment each month in collaboration with the Merchandiser.
- Work with and comply with all critical path requirements as necessary.
Essential skills and/or experience
- Experience as an Own Brand buyer.
- End‑to‑end product development experience.
- Good negotiation skills and experience leading strategic commercial negotiations with suppliers and vendors.
- In‑depth knowledge and expertise within the designated category, including understanding of product trends, customer preferences and industry dynamics.
- Direct experience in range planning, product assortment development within the category.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate ideas, negotiate agreements and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Desirable skills and/or experience
- Category specific knowledge and/or experience.
Contract & Working Conditions
Salary: £55,600.00 - £84,100.00 per annum, dependant on skill and experience.
Contract type: fixed term until April2027.
Hours: 35 hours per week. Minimum of 3 days per week in the office as a hybrid working role.
Location: London head office – 1 Drummond Gate, London, SW1V2QQ.
Recruitment & Vetting
It is important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre‑employment vetting (including DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you will be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third‑party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some roles.
