Here are sample job advertisements for these types of roles…
GUCCI Assistant Buyer – Women’s SLGs, Women’s Belts, Decor & Gifts
Gucci America Inc – New York, NY 10014
Summary Influential, innovative and progressive, Gucci is reinventing a wholly modern approach to fashion. Under the new vision of creative director Alessandro Michele, the House has redefined luxury for the 21st century, further reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most desirable fashion houses. Eclectic, contemporary, romantic—Gucci products represent the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship and are unsurpassed for their quality and attention to detail.
Gucci is part of the Kering Group, a world leader in apparel and accessories that owns a portfolio of powerful luxury and sport and lifestyle brands.The Assistant Buyer – Women’s SLGs, Women’s Belts, Decor & Gifts ensures the flow of merchandise into the business through timely and close dialogue with Inventory Planning, Customer Service, WW Merchandising, and WW Corporate Retail. Supports the Buyer to manage the inventory by providing scheduled reporting and recommends actions. The Assistant Buyer is expected to analyze stock to sales ratios and/or timely replenishment through allocations and consolidations in collaboration with Inventory Planning team. Provide ad hoc reporting as needed by the Buyer. Prepare tools and information for seasonal buying campaign as well as input orders, provide detailed sales analysis by location, and recap final buys. Establishes and maintains relationships with retail network by working closely with store managers and sales associates to solidify Merchandising’s role as a strategic support. Partner with cross-functional teams, including Marketing & Communications, PR, Wholesale, and Visual Merchandising. Executes daily activities as directed by the Buyer and supports/facilitates ad hoc store requests. Actively participates in motivating selling teams through communicating product knowledge such a product booklets, training, selling events.Key Accountabilities
Inventory Management
In close collaboration with Inventory Planning team, track and recap deliveries weekly and react to ensure value and percentage shipped is aligned with seasonal targets and improved on LY;
Collaborate with Inventory Planning on timely allocation of newness to drive sales and sell through while prioritizing key locations;
Advise Buyer on reorder opportunities by forecasting to replenish stock and keep sales momentum;
Analyze selling reports to identify stock movements, balance sales vs stock ratios by store in collaboration with Inventory Planning team;
Propose store opening assortments to Buyer and partner with Inventory Planning on stock levels for new stores/refurbishments/floor moves.
Reporting
Timely execution of weekly standard reporting, analyzes and recommends actions to Buyer;
End of month analysis, pricing initiatives, and ad hoc analysis as needed;
Prepare final selling reports for Buy Prep;
Prepare selling reports and analysis for store visits.
In-Store Support
Support Buyer to maximize sales and results by store through collaborating with Visual Merchandising to maximize exposure of best sellers, optimize floor capacity, and support brand initiatives – Minimum in store travel 3 days per quarter;
In store presence to work with Visual Merchandising, gain insights into business by location, and motivate selling teams;
Motivate sales force and provide product knowledge support to the stores;
Lead by example with a high standard of professionalism, positive attitude, and desire to be at Gucci;
Frequent communication of new product arrivals, business trends and eliciting feedback.
Seasonal Buying Campaign Support
Required international travel up to 2 times a year;
Ensures all buy preparation is created and distributed to all relevant team members;
Ensures integrity of order information and buying tools;
Responsible for seasonal buy recaps for internal and WW assortment reviews;
Supports Buyer to articulate assortment strategies to internal, WW, and Retail partners.
Key Requirements
Minimum of 1-2 years of experience in retail, luxury retail, or service related industry;
Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion, Business or a related discipline is required;
Flexibility to travel with short notice and to work a demanding schedule which can include on an ad hoc basis evenings, weekends, and holidays;
Proficiency with Microsoft Office software including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook;
Strong verbal and written communication skills and excellent organizational skills;
Ability to analyze selling reports, identify business trends, and react quickly to the needs of the business;
Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment;
Fashion Industry awareness and strong business acumen;
High degree of social intelligence and comfort level in dealing with luxury clientele;
Able to thrive in an open and team-oriented environment;
Entrepreneurial spirit;
Sales and Client focused;
Effective communicator.
EOE M/D/F/V
Inventory Management
In close collaboration with Inventory Planning team, track and recap deliveries weekly and react to ensure value and percentage shipped is aligned with seasonal targets and improved on LY;
Collaborate with Inventory Planning on timely allocation of newness to drive sales and sell through while prioritizing key locations;
Advise Buyer on reorder opportunities by forecasting to replenish stock and keep sales momentum;
Analyze selling reports to identify stock movements, balance sales vs stock ratios by store in collaboration with Inventory Planning team;
Propose store opening assortments to Buyer and partner with Inventory Planning on stock levels for new stores/refurbishments/floor moves.
Reporting
Timely execution of weekly standard reporting, analyzes and recommends actions to Buyer;
End of month analysis, pricing initiatives, and ad hoc analysis as needed;
Prepare final selling reports for Buy Prep;
Prepare selling reports and analysis for store visits.
In-Store Support
Support Buyer to maximize sales and results by store through collaborating with Visual Merchandising to maximize exposure of best sellers, optimize floor capacity, and support brand initiatives – Minimum in store travel 3 days per quarter;
In store presence to work with Visual Merchandising, gain insights into business by location, and motivate selling teams;
Motivate sales force and provide product knowledge support to the stores;
Lead by example with a high standard of professionalism, positive attitude, and desire to be at Gucci;
Frequent communication of new product arrivals, business trends and eliciting feedback.
Seasonal Buying Campaign Support
Required international travel up to 2 times a year;
Ensures all buy preparation is created and distributed to all relevant team members;
Ensures integrity of order information and buying tools;
Responsible for seasonal buy recaps for internal and WW assortment reviews;
Supports Buyer to articulate assortment strategies to internal, WW, and Retail partners.
Key Requirements
Minimum of 1-2 years of experience in retail, luxury retail, or service related industry;
Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion, Business or a related discipline is required;
Flexibility to travel with short notice and to work a demanding schedule which can include on an ad hoc basis evenings, weekends, and holidays;
Proficiency with Microsoft Office software including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook;
Strong verbal and written communication skills and excellent organizational skills;
Ability to analyze selling reports, identify business trends, and react quickly to the needs of the business;
Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment;
Fashion Industry awareness and strong business acumen;
High degree of social intelligence and comfort level in dealing with luxury clientele;
Able to thrive in an open and team-oriented environment;
Entrepreneurial spirit;
Sales and Client focused;
Effective communicator.
EOE M/D/F/V
BUYER
About Ross Stores:
Ross Stores, Inc. is an S&P 500, Fortune 500 and Nasdaq 100 (ROST) Company headquartered in Dublin, California, with fiscal 2017 revenues of $14.1 billion. The Company operates Ross Dress for Less® (“Ross”), the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States with 1,409 locations in 37 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. The Company also operates 213 dd’s DISCOUNTS® locations in 16 states that feature a more moderately-priced assortment of first-quality, in-season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear and home fashions for the entire family at everyday savings.
The company’s merchandise mix and assortments are constantly evolving as merchants and planners focus on what customers want to buy and respond by delivering great discounts on a wider variety of name brand merchandise. With its solid management team, proven off-price concept, strong cash flow and return on equity, Ross is ideally positioned to successfully execute its growth strategies.
Are you ready for the next big move in your career? We look forward to hearing from you!
The culture demands hands-on, close engagement at all levels, and the ability to think and act strategically. Within this culture, there are many opportunities to attain and even exceed personal goals quickly while partnering with professionals across multiple categories. This creates a win-win culture with a rigorous standard of performance for everyone.
Structured for growth and profitability, individuals are measured on performance rather than process. What this yields is an environment that is invigorating and offers a clear, compelling reward system for the team.
About this job:
The Buyer will be responsible for managing their specific product division which includes the selection, purchase and delivery of merchandise which adheres to the merchandise philosophy of quality, price, fashion and brand.
Responsibilities:
- Manages opportunistic buying responsibility (based on vendors or classifications) and accountability for sales and margin performance.
- Manages receipts in terms of balancing assortments and flexing from flow versus packaway.
- Demonstrates fiscal responsibility in negotiating for packaway goods to offset additional costs of storing merchandise (e.g. additional dating, vendors holding merchandise etc.).
- Provides on-going analysis and interpretation of key business issues. This includes monitoring regional merchandise reports (i.e., Cold & Warm Store Strategies), Open-to-Buy monitoring, stock analysis and other ad hoc analysis.
- Proactively networks with vendors regarding available merchandise and will negotiate directly on purchases. This includes frequent visits to showrooms, selecting product and handling negotiations, either independently or in conjunction with their supervisor.
- Shops all competing and Ross/dd’s stores to identify opportunities, trends and labels.
Desired Skills and Qualifications:
- Requires a minimum of 4 – 6 years retail merchandising buying experience.
- Must have extensive vendor negotiation and interaction.
- Experience with close-out or opportunistic buying preferred.
- Thorough knowledge of merchandising and technical aspects of merchandising (e.g., fabric, design, silhouettes, etc.).
- Strong negotiation skills.
- Strong analytical and conceptual skills.
- Recent experience in product categories.
- Ability to partner and influence vendors/cross-functional partners.
- Highly effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong retail math skills.
- Strong PC skills, with an emphasis on spreadsheet applications.
Who We Are:
HBC is a diversified global retailer, focused on driving the performance of high quality stores and their all-channel offerings, growing through acquisitions, and unlocking the value of real estate holdings.
HBC is a diversified global retailer, focused on driving the performance of high quality stores and their all-channel offerings, growing through acquisitions, and unlocking the value of real estate holdings.
Founded in 1670, HBC is the oldest company in North America. Our portfolio today includes formats ranging from luxury to premium department stores to off price fashion shopping destinations, with more than 480 stores and over 66,000 employees around the world.
Our leading banners across North America and Europe include Hudson�s Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gilt, Saks OFF 5TH, Galeria Kaufhof, the largest department store group in Germany, and Belgium�s only department store group Galeria INNO.
We have significant investments in real estate joint ventures. HBC has partnered with Simon Property Group Inc. in the HBC Global Properties Joint Venture, which owns properties in the United States and Germany. In Canada, HBC has partnered with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust in the RioCan-HBC Joint Venture.
A truly global corporate citizen, HBC is committed to responsible business practices to bring about positive change, and we work hard to shape a sustainable future for people and the planet. Our philanthropic initiatives help create healthy families, strong communities, and sport excellence in the cities and countries in which we operate around the world, while striving to create innovative programs and resources that provide flexibility for work-life balance in order to maintain a positive working environmentWhat This Position Is All About:
The Assistant Buyer is a motivated individual that will participate in vendor selections, and partnerships. They will assist with merchandise transfers, and ensure the resolution of data integrity. The Assistant Buyer will assist in providing information for the monitoring of inventory productivity, and the analysis of vendor profitability while providing data and analysis for price changes, and assists in entering prices changes on line.
The Assistant Buyer is a motivated individual that will participate in vendor selections, and partnerships. They will assist with merchandise transfers, and ensure the resolution of data integrity. The Assistant Buyer will assist in providing information for the monitoring of inventory productivity, and the analysis of vendor profitability while providing data and analysis for price changes, and assists in entering prices changes on line.
Who You Are:
- You get things done by engaging in high level teamwork and flexing your interpersonal skills
- You are a respected and proven thought leader with a quantifiable track record of success in delivering results within a large complex organization.
- A natural problem-solver, who is also intuitively analytical and creative
You also have:
- Strong knowledge of and ability to apply retail math concepts, including elements of markup, margin planning, open to buy, and inventory productivity measures (WOS, T/O, GMROI).
- Excellent computer skills including MS Word and Excel.
- 1 – 2 years� experience as an Assistant Buyer, preferably in a major department store.
As the Assistant Buyer, you will:
- Merchandising: Assists in vendor selection and in developing and maintaining strong vendor partnerships. Assists in monitoring industry trends and in evaluating competition, and attends major markets as feasible and necessary. Provides information for the development of the merchandise strategy, and assists in product selection and product and key item development as directed. Assists in conducting line reviews / style outs for management and staff. Assists in setting up new items in the item database. Ensures the dissemination of product knowledge to store associates. Executes the Best / Worst Seller Review. Develops sales unit performance reports. Aids in the preparation of the Merchandise Hindsight. Ensures merchandise samples are maintained accordingly.
- Purchasing, Allocation, and Replenishment: Assists in analyzing class performance, planned class penetration, and average retail by class. Assists in managing the timely placement and maintenance of purchase orders. Assists in providing analysis to support micro-merchandising strategies. Participates in weekly allocation strategy sessions. Assists in merchandise transfer initiation. Executes returns to vendors as negotiated and necessary. Assists in providing feedback for space strategies (fixture /square footage). Ensures the resolution of data integrity (on hand) issues. Provides information for identification of distribution and vendor logistics opportunities. Aid in providing systems (STARS Planning / OTB) expertise for other users. Provides information for coordinating systems (STARS planning/OTB) enhancements requests.
- Open-to-Buy Monitoring: Assists in the development and maintenance of the PO checkbook. Assists in the bi-monthly forecasting of sales and inventories through the OTB review process. Executes the markdown projection process and provides information for the projection and negotiation of vendor allowance. Supports the development and execution of aged inventory exit strategies. Monitors vendor to store receipt flows, and actual to planned receipts. Manages the purchase journal review process. Assists in providing information for the monitoring of inventory productivity, and the analysis of vendor profitability. Monitors and evaluates the vendor received not ordered compliance report.
- Pricing and Promotion: Assists in establishing pricing strategy. Provides data and analysis for price changes, and assists in entering prices changes on line in a timely manner. Assists in planning and approving all advertising and promotions. Assists in providing information for the timely response to store visit notes. Provides feedback for ad in stock on promotional items, and ensures the communication of in-stock issues to stores. Provides analysis and monitors style advertising effectiveness. Manages product ticketing and in-store signage. Facilitates the issuance of store presentation guidance. Furnishes information to Price Management with regard to store communications on pricing issues.
- Financial Planning: Provides information for the preliminary development of the vendor / store matrix. Provides information for the flow of the departmental topside plans by month. Assists in providing analysis for and participates in the Business Review.
- People Development: Participates in training and development. Helps to develop and support a team environment, and participates in the team’s activities. Participates in fostering job satisfaction and positive morale.
Your Life and Career at HBC:
- Be part of a world-class team; work with an adventurous spirit; think and act like an owner- operator!
- Exposure to rewarding career advancement opportunities, from retail to supply chain, to digital or corporate.
- A culture that promotes a healthy, fulfilling work/life balance
- Benefits package for all eligible full-time employees (including medical, vision and dental).
- An amazing employee discount
Buyer, Men’s Leathergoods Coach Outlet
Coach – New York, NY
Coach is a leading design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle collections, with a long-standing reputation built on quality craftsmanship. Defined by a free-spirited, all-American attitude, the brand approaches design with a modern vision, reimagining luxury for today with an authenticity and innovation that is uniquely Coach. All over the world, the Coach name is synonymous with effortless New York style.
Coach is part of the Tapestry portfolio – a global house of brands powered by optimism, innovation, and inclusivity.
Primary Purpose: The Buyer will execute buying strategies for the Outlet Men’s Leathergoods category. This is a great opportunity for an individual with outstanding analytical and communication skills, who is strategic and operational.
The successful individual will leverage their proficiency in Buying to…
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- Drive financial results that maximize revenue, gross margin, inventory turn goals through the development of merchandising and planning strategies for Men’s Leathergoods category
- Execute buy process from concept to completion, including partnership in product development, implementation of regional merchandising strategies and financial planning of sales/inventory
- Influence category assortments by analyzing product performance, customer feedback, consumer trend, competitive landscape and local market knowledge to global merchants/design
- Manage OTB to meet financial targets at the SKU level for sales, inventory & margin
- Work closely with Inventory Management and Allocation to ensure that inventory turn goals are met and assortments by door are maximized
- Initiate and generate business analysis to track selling, identify key trends and maximize opportunities in the assortment in order to achieve continued growth and profitability
- Continuously analyze and reforecast business and implement strategies to ensure plan is achieved, including adjusting product flow and inventory management
- Manage SKU lifecycle from adoption to delete, react to in season sales to determine go forward strategy
- Partner with Marketing, Product Knowledge, Visual Merchandising, Store Operations and Field Team to create synergies among all consumer touch points
- Partner with field team to solicit qualitative feedback on product, customers, store environments & competition
The accomplished individual will possess…
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- Strong analytical skills
- Detail oriented, organized, ability to multi-task
- Strong product sensibility
- Ability to present and recommend strategies and build a business case
- Team player with a focus on collaboration
- Highly skilled in Excel and proficient learner of planning and buying systems
- B.A. or B.S. required
- 5 – 7 years of Buying and/or Planning experience required
- 1+ years of people management preferred
Our Competencies for All Employees
- Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
- Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
- Creativity: Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
- Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
- Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.
- Perseverance: Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
- Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
Our Competencies for All People Managers
- Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
- Building Effective Teams: Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in their team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.
- Managerial Courage: Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.
Coach is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and we pride ourselves on hiring and developing the best people. All employment decisions (including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline and termination) are based on the applicant’s or employee’s qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally-recognized protected basis prohibited by applicable law. #LI-JG1 Visit Coach at www.coach.com.