Purpose of the Role:
The Buyer is responsible for developing and executing the product assortment strategy for Sports Direct across retail and partner stores. The role ensures the right product is in the right place, at the right time, and at the right price, driving revenue, margin, and consumer demand. By leveraging consumer insights, sales analytics, market trends, and seasonal brand stories, the Buyer delivers curated assortments that elevate the brands, optimize in-season performance, and achieve financial objectives.
What you will do:
- Collaborate with the Senior Buyer to interpret the company's product strategy into cohesive and representative product ranges
- Adhere to brand product strategy to maintain a consistent and strong market position
- Work with the Senior Buyer to balance the product range for the target consumer, considering factors such as price points, styles, and fashion trends
- Continuously review the in-season collection to maximize range, sales, and profit
- Collaborate with the Senior Buyer to analyse competitor product ranges and actions to ensure a leading market position
- Stay informed about market trends and competitive activities
- Interface with different functions of the business, including planning and merchandising, to ensure a constant flow of information
- Coordinate with VM and Marketing for the implementation of Marketing/VM/Trade calendars
- Work with the Senior Buyer to drive opportunities using the critical path, ensuring maximum flexibility to decrease markdown risk and maximize sales
- Review department performance on a regular basis and propose action for trading out of poor-performing areas and buying into successful areas
- Collaborate with VM and Marketing to ensure the correct implementation of the Marketing/VM/Trade calendars
- Understand the market and competition well, staying up to date with trends
- Meet deadlines in buying calendars and critical path
- Collaborate with the Planner and Trader to ensure merchandise is phased in according to divisional strategy
- Responsible to classify and align purchased products Categories within the company’s Banner categorization framework, to ensure consistency in inventory planning & reporting
How you will be measured:
Financial Targets
- On-time completion of seasonal buys
- Product selection success rate (sell-through > X%) at Full Price (FP)
- Markdown value on bought styles
- Seasonal buy vs budget accuracy
- Speed of in-season top-up/reorder decisions
Stakeholder Engagement
- Effective collaboration with Country Retail Managers to ensure effective product strategy
- Effective collaboration with Planner and Traders to ensure accuracy of OTB
- In collaboration with Marketing and Visual Merchandiser, ensuring effective marketing campaign roll-out
Competencies required:
- Strong collaboration skills / Team player
- Strategic planning
- Highly effective communication skills
- Financial acumen
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical mindset
- Self-motivated
- Leadership skills
What you will bring to the role:
- Diploma in Business Administration, Finance, or another relevant field
- 2 years of experience as a Buyer or similar within a medium to large size retailer
- Computer proficiency with advanced knowledge of Excel
- Strong aptitude with numbers and clear understanding of retail math skills
- Strong organisational skills with ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and meet deadlines
- Ability to communicate persuasively, influentially, and responsibly across a broad spectrum of stakeholders
- Excels in team-environments and in building and developing strong interpersonal relationships, while maintaining an individual determination to accomplish goals
