Assistant Buyer - Global

Williams-Sonoma•San Francisco, CA

2d•$60,000 - $65,000

About The Position

The Assistant Buyer is someone who is excited to jump in and learn about the business and is equally as excited about the analytical and creative parts. You will work closely with a very passionate and collaborative group of team members that are zealous about Merchandising. We are in search of someone who can jump from one task to another quickly and efficiently, and someone who is excited about working with a fun and energetic group! Overview of the role Support the buyer to develop business strategies and seasonal assortment plans to maximize the development of Williams Sonoma sales and profits for assigned departments. Identify opportunities and recommend new product or concepts for department. Coordinate information across functions working closely with Franchise Merchants, Inventory Management, Ecommerce, Visual Merchandising, Marketing and Brand merchant team to ensure business goals and timelines are achieved.

Requirements

BA degree
1-4 years of the retail buying experience
Strong analytical, strategic, and problem-solving skills
Deadline driven and strong project management skills
Ability to prioritize tasks appropriately
Strong organizational skills
Ability to work independently across multiple projects
Strong communication skills – both written and verbal (strong business acumen)
Familiar and comfortable with pulling sales reports and strong ability to analyze business metrics
Detail-oriented – takes the appropriate time to complete tasks and reviews work to ensure accuracy
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel/Word/PowerPoint) required to create pivot tables and experience with advanced formulas such as VLOOKUPS

Responsibilities

Partner with buying leadership to develop and deliver financial plans for your category of business (Growth %, Sales, MMU$, Inventory). Develop seasonal and foundational assortment strategies, participate in the planning and execution both pre-season and in season
Analyze and report on company owned business performance and drive associated action steps. Performed weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, and annually.
Perform market analysis, competitive shop and analyze sales trends to keep abreast of current trends. Obtain feedback from stores to improve product and add to collections
Identify emerging trends and develop business strategies outlining strengths, weaknesses, and new opportunities. Communicate annual and seasonal strategies to functional areas (Inventory, Ecommerce, Visual).
Develop and recommend seasonal and core product mix for department or area. Collaborate with Inventory Management to develop annual and seasonal financial plans
Collaborate with Inventory Management and buying leadership on final assortment, product details, target retails, estimated IMU, importance to overall assortment (rank & big bets
Participate in visual mapping process to ensure floor plan direction supports market-specific and store-specific visual display and sales plans
Manage the Australia Merchandising Assortment Line Lists
Drive retail store & eCommerce execution for the business in partnership with Visual, Store operations, eCommerce, and Inventory teams. Inclusive of upkeep of promotional calendar, creation of promotional files, store communication, and store signage needs.
Alongside buying leadership develop promo and markdown strategies to ensure inventory targets and sales are met each season
Review EDM, Homepage creative and participate in monthly UAT activities
Correspond with functional areas. Resolves, handles, and escalates issues to Buyer, Call Center and Stores. Investigate and respond to field issues

Benefits

A generous discount on all Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brands
A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities
Paid vacations, holidays, and time off to volunteer
Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits
Tax-free commuter benefits
A wellness program that supports your physical, financial, and emotional health
In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University
Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities
Resources for self-development
Advisor (Mentor) program
Career development workshops and learning programs
Speaker series