The Buying team at River Island plays a key role in realizing the commercial opportunities created by our unique designs across all channels. This is achieved through effective range planning, awareness of key commercial data and customer trends, excellent supplier relations, internal networks, and executing the Buying Strategy to deliver sales and profit plans.
Key Accountabilities:
* Support weekly trading reviews, updating and providing information to the Buying team as needed.
* Ensure orders and invoices are accurately processed by the BAAs, and onboard new suppliers.
* Manage samples effectively, including labelling, working with suppliers, maintaining the development tracker, and ensuring samples are available for meetings.
* Support in fit meetings, ensuring BAA preparation and input, deputising when appropriate.
* Coordinate labelling and ticketing to a high standard.
* Monitor and review Critical Path, respond to escalations, and maintain awareness of lead times.
* Assist Buyer with cost negotiations and range building.
* Produce competitor shop reports with recommendations based on market trends and customer insights.
* Develop a foundational understanding of sustainability and compliance considerations and their impact on buying decisions.
* Identify opportunities to present in trade and department meetings.
* Ensure ethical trading practices and positive supplier relationships.
* Manage BAA workload, performance, and provide support and feedback.
* Set objectives for the BAA and support their development.
* Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as Ecommerce, Wholesale, and Visual Merchandising.
Key Experience Required:
* Previous experience as an Assistant Buyer or senior administrative support in buying.
* Experience in an omni-channel business is highly desirable.
Job Role Competencies:
* Strong verbal and numerical reasoning skills.
* Intermediate MS Office skills and ability to learn new systems quickly.
* Highly organized, proactive, with good prioritization skills.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Strong commercial awareness and market understanding.
* Disciplined, results-oriented, resilient, and adaptable.
* Curious, eager to learn, with coaching and mentoring skills.
* Confident in presenting and asserting views.
* Initiative-taker with good presentation skills.
* Interest in Product and the River Island brand is essential.
About Us
River Island is a beloved brand with a bright future. Our diverse team of talented individuals is proud of their work and offers various career progression opportunities. This role is based at our Head Office in West London.
We offer generous staff discounts, benefits, wellbeing support, onsite gym, social events, flexible working, training, bonuses, private pension, paid holidays, and additional benefits.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting equality of opportunity, welcoming applications from all backgrounds and supporting flexible working requests where possible.
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