About the Brand
New Spanish based brand whose vision is to create a high-quality wardrobe for modern and anti-conformist women.
Obsessed with contrasts, the brand will offer meticulously crafted collections, with a wide understanding of femininity allowing all women to build their own identity.
Inspired by French codes mixed with a fresh mediterranean touch, our designs embody versatility and boldness, always with a guiding thread: styling and playing with garments to match everyday mood and empower women.
Working alongside a newly created team in Northern Spain with strong links to the UK based Next head office, this is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new brand launch.
Role Purpose:
To propose and gain agreement to the business plan for their department and to create and deliver a profitable and commercial range which maximises sales. To deliver a product range capable of achieving profit parameters.
Role Responsibilities
Plans the range according to future trends that take into account range construction, pricing architecture, seasonal variations, the buying and sourcing policies, target market and competitors
Together with the Merchandiser and Designer, reviews and plans future supplier strategy for their department, identifying sourcing requirement where appropriate
Continuously reviews the customer profile across all facets of the business and develops products accordingly, demonstrating brand and customer awareness
Creates stories, pallets and key items according to the Design and Buying Trend Critical Path
Inspires the team and provides leadership and training to ensure the team are developed and skills are improved
Manages their resources and workload effectively in order to achieve their departments business plan. This will involve controlling set budgets, prioritising workflow and conducting regular team reviews to ensure deadlines and targets are met
Coaches and develops their team to ensure they maximise performance levels. This will include regular performance appraisals to set and review objectives along with an assessment of individual performance
Liaises with supplier base to ensure that sampling and cost prices are received on time to meet critical dates / deadlines
Effectively communicates the product strategy to suppliers whilst retaining confidential information to protect the brand
Assesses the capability of new / existing suppliers to deliver their part of the range on time and within price structure and sources new suppliers where necessary
Carries out seasonal supplier SWOTs, taking action where necessary, working with Sourcing Director and feedbacks seasonal results to supplier / brands on performance
Proactively contributes ideas to the business to help it continue to deliver a winning performance
Uses resilience, passion and energy to achieve the right results
Develops and maintains good working relationships with the suppliers so that issues such as late deliveries, quality, costs can be effectively managed
Places a high emphasis on the quality of the product and works with Technical to analyse returns reports, taking corrective action where necessary, agrees and controls standards of suppliers, examines quality of product in stores, communicates standards to the team
Manages and attends weekly trade meetings updating on key departmental issues
Presents new season product direction with Designer and Merchandiser
Reviews range frequently with Merchandiser to ensure product selection is commercial and reacting to sales, proposing repeats, restyling and cancelling of stock as required
Effectively communicates the Buying and Design vision by phase to the Company (Full Phase Review), creating style guides to support the VM team and by managing the wholesale handover and presenting a coordinated collection, samples amended where necessary, colour swatches and CADs correctly labelled
Works with Design and Technical to engineer products into commercial price point structure
Strives to deliver the best customer experience through product, price points and value for money
Is commercial to trade in season repeating, cancelling, re-styling
Has excellent customer awareness across retail, web, franchise and wholesale
Ensures knowledge of current and potential market / fashion trends, business opportunities and risk for their area is up to date and included in their proposed range
Identifies late buys, missed opportunities and reacts to these in trade meetings
Ensures the development process is continuous and that they optimise the use of trials and late buys
Has ownership of OTB and option count and pricing structure and develops accordingly
Technical Requirements
Currently working at Buyer for a womenswear brand
Have proven success at buying for your own area
Have expertise within the desired product area
Demonstr