Buying Manager _ Kitchen _ Homecentre

Role overview

Category growth and merchandise planning

• Drive category sales and gross margins in line with organizational positioning, business plans, and budgets.
• Prepare annual category plans and provide input to the overall merchandising budget; use historical sales and market research to inform planning.
• Maintain plans for sales, markdowns, margins, and average inventory; agree pricing, promotions, and assortment with Merchandise Planning.
• Manage in-season stock balancing, markdowns, stock analysis, and stock-versus-sales performance across territories.

Product design and quality

• Use customer research to guide product introductions, assortment, shelf layout, promotions, and pricing.
• Plan product design and development with the Design Head, including features, functions, packaging, and resource requirements; keep activities within budget.
• Ensure procured and received merchandise meets quality standards.

Buying and vendor management

• Build the vendor base through scouting and negotiation; maintain relationships with key vendors and review financial and credit agreements.
• Determine buying requirements and prepare category buying plans and budgets; monitor orders and follow up on deliveries against plans and service-level agreements.
• Pursue cost reductions through bulk buying, vendor selection, benchmarking, and purchase-process improvement.

People and competition

• Support recruitment, monitor team development, resolve complaints, set direct-report objectives, conduct performance appraisals, manage staff deployment, and motivate the team.
• Gather market intelligence, analyze trends, map competitor prices and products, and provide qualitative business input.

Qualifications and experience

• Postgraduate or graduate education.
• 12–15 years of relevant experience, including at least 8 years in the home retail industry.
• Kitchen category or home retail experience is mandated.