Retail Buyer – Cape Town

Retail Buyer – Cape Town

Our client, an international retailer based in Cape Town is seeking to employ a Retail Buyer to join their ever expanding team

The Retail Buyer is responsible for the successful execution and implementation of the Merchandise function in order to drive the Local Retail Range in line with the RESEC at Full price stores. He/She is responsible for selecting competitive seasonal product ranges by researching customer demand, market trends and financial budgets. The Retail Buyer keeps up to date with market trends and reacting to changes in demand are key elements of the role

• Select the Full price stores product assortment range in order to achieve the Seasonal Retail Merchandising Strategy and Plan.
• Manage the product life cycle to optimize local product efficiency and commercial opportunities while staying in-line with Brand direction and Monitor competitors pricing, product assortment, product materials, features and fast moving products
• Align product promotions with stock availability and ensure appropriate retail marketing support
• In partnership with Retail Merch Manager develop seasonal strategy, reviewing and identifying lessons learnt from financial KPIs. Agreed Targets & sign off with Merch manager and Head of Retail 
• Build ranges by Division, BU, gender & Concept for all Full price stores across South Africa  through use of Grading to differentiate stores.
• Analyzing past sales figures/trends and current inventory to anticipate future product. In partnership with Merch Manager Plan product value and units to sell in all Retail Stores across all Divisions/Genders and Business Units.
• Ensure that in-season and pre-season plans, and targets are balanced to match space and supports store budgeted plans (sales, margin, density and inventory). Responsible for bottom-up and top-down pre- and in-season targets to fulfill budget targets e.g. back best sellers in appropriate depth and manage risk on trend product.
• Forecast accuracy & final buy quantities based on qualitative and quantitative data. Also share vision on depth needs.
• Setting and managing the model store buying patterns (assortment mix/Capacities and size ranges)
• Analyze stock flow and monitor stock movement to meet Sales & Inventory KPI’s.
• Accountable for buy spend, OTB/buy level management, divisional inventory control and option count.
• Responsible for transparency, visibility and communication of key data and analysis to the business for effective decision making
• Use range building blocks of fashionability, revenue vs equity, color, seasonality and price to build a rounded collection that delivers budgeted sales, exceeds consumer expectations and creates impact on the Retail floor
• Support Brand initiatives and Marketing campaigns through selection of key products into assortments in appropriate depth.
• Through travel and extensive research, build and maintain a knowledge base of markets for product area of responsibility.
• Work closely with VM and Marketing to agree floor zoning, display and support in store. Ensure the assortment meets the VM space available per category with flow to drive newness on the floor.
• Compare option requirements and mix vs. field requests and VM information, feedback and quantify gaps to business
• Build a strong relationship with the Regional Merchandising Team to drive alignment between Retail and Wholesale ranges and maximize sales and profit.
• Collaborate with Retail Allocator, VM, Retail Marketing coordinator to ensure that products are planned, allocated, presented and promoted as intended to drive product storytelling and enhance consumers’ shopping experience.
• Set up country level price file for the assortment in a timely manner prior to hand over to the Allocation team
• Support in Presenting product ranges & plans to field operations and store management
• Present buy strategy to senior management team alongside Retail Merch team.
• Ensuring that we execute according to how we plan our buys,  being able to foresee and vocalize if we are off track and creating plans to be on track 
• Being the voice of Retail SA to give feedback on collections and define opportunities and misses in assortments in a qualitative and quantitative manner. .

In return the company offers a basic with Benefits

Email cv  and salary requirements to