Our story began with one man and his vision; to bring vibrant, colourful, hand-crafted artisan clothes from faraway places to the markets of London. It is a journey that started on a hippy commune in Ibiza,1970, and finished with an overland trip east, through Afghanistan and India. Now found in West London, we’re creating vibrant products and sharing endless discovery. We're committed to giving back and supporting the community. One of the ways we do this is working with charities that support women. We’re also constantly improving our sustainability efforts by making conscious choices with the materials we use and our production processes. We now have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Buying in the Monsoon Kids team to shape the next stage of our journey. Reporting directly to the Buying & Merchandising Director, you will play a key part in leading the Monsoon Kids Buying department to ensure all Buying categories build original and innovative ranges in line with our strategy; Making sure that all Buying activities are conducted in line with the critical path; grow the brand through strategic and commercial initiatives; actively manage the development of the department through effective people and talent management and management of budgets. What will you do as a Head of Buying? Critical Path Management Planning and Design Ensure review of competitor performance is undertaken Inspiration Trips deliver commercially viable range Develop Channel Strategy Agree season Promotions Develop a Sourcing and Supplier Strategy Strategy communicated to strategic suppliers Range Building Ensure that any sourcing and supplier packs are produced to the critical path deadline and are in line with category strategy and themes Sign Off Product design Ensure that all relevant samples are received from suppliers on time Ensure buying team complete Range Building activity Sign off Range sample Develop Supplier capacity plans Undertake Product price negotiation Production/Shipping Ensure all POs contain right information and are raised after Red Seal in line with critical path dates Launch/In Season Trading Ensure that the end of phase review is completed Maximise in season trading through effective OTB management People and Talent Management Ensure Company and department information is communicated effectively to team through weekly huddles, team meetings etc. Conduct regular reviews; Strategically plan the development of all individuals to promote retention and succession Actively manage team performance by setting objectives to ensure maximum productivity of category Budget Management Set department budgets for the year; monitor budgets of categories to control over spending Ensure adequate provisions have been made within the budget to recruit and promote individuals through the implementation of succession plans Co-ordinate, brief or manage freelance designer budgets We would love to hear from you if you have the following: Experience operating at Head of level Proven track record in multi-product kidswear along with experience in working with premium ranges A confident, ambitious approach is essential along with the required taste levels and eye in line with our customer profile. Used to working with a global supply base and building strong relationships with design & technical functions in order to develop ranges that reflects our brand strategy. Experience of managing a large team, overseeing product direction, identifying new opportunities and managing sign offs. What will we offer you in return? Competitive salary and the option to participate in the Company bonus scheme 25 days holiday plus bank holidays with the option to purchase additional holiday through our salary sacrifice scheme Bonus day off each year after 6 months service A pension that you will automatically be enrolled in after 3 months Life assurance (subject to participating in the pension scheme) Private Healthcare A flexible working approach Early pay day Friday finish A generous staff discount with up to 50% discount on our products Interest free season ticket loans Discounted gym membership at our on-campus gym Additional discounts such as Westfield discount, Taste card membership etc If this all sounds great and you feel you are who we are looking for, let us know and apply today. At Monsoon Accessorize we don’t focus only on what we do, we also care about how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce and an environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential. We want to attract the broadest range of talented people and are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will also consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise. We provide reasonable accommodations as needed to people with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at careersmonsoon.co.uk Apply now Email to a friend < / one_col