Assistant Buyer I
About The Position
The Assistant Buyer supports the Buyer with vendor partnerships, order management, inventory productivity monitoring, vendor profitability analysis, price-change analysis and execution, and communications with vendors and store teams. The role works across buying, planning, allocation, merchandise assistants, brand partners, and other retail functions to ensure accurate orders, effective assortments, and timely in-season actions. It is based onsite in New York City. The position also prepares Buyers for market by providing historical performance and customer insights, coordinating appointments, and supporting style-out sessions. In season, the Assistant Buyer reviews business performance, shares style-level insights, recommends actions, helps prepare monthly open-to-buy materials, manages markdown and return-to-vendor processes, and coordinates custom reporting with offshore teams.
Requirements
- 1–2 years’ experience as an Assistant Buyer or equivalent, preferably in a major department store or luxury retail.
- Strong knowledge of retail math, including markup, margin planning, open to buy, and inventory productivity measures such as WOS, T/O, and GMROI.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides.
- Proficiency in systems.
- Ability to manage ambiguity, work independently, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong accountability and ability to multitask and prioritize independently.
- Ability to generate a variety of quick problem-solving approaches, including new ideas.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate directly and diplomatically and gain trust quickly.
- Proven track record of driving positive outcomes through objectives and measures in a large, complex organization.
- Openness to new perspectives and willingness to try new ways of working.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in a major department store or luxury retail.
Responsibilities
- Liaise with Buyers, Associate Buyers, and brand partners to gather and confirm order details, maintain buy sheets, and resolve discrepancies.
- Oversee offshore Merchandise Assistants’ creation and transmission of purchase orders, ensuring accurate details and timely delivery; oversee related communications and resolve or escalate issues.
- Provide allocation direction to the Planning Allocation team and help manage allocations for high-touch categories such as Designer.
- Communicate receipt-flow changes to the offshore team and ensure purchase orders accurately reflect ship windows, order quantities, and on-order information.
- Prepare Buyers for market by working with Planners on historical performance, seller, trend, and customer-preference insights; coordinate market appointments and periodically attend the New York market.
- Support Buyer style-out sessions by coordinating logistics and preparing assortment-presentation insights.
- Initiate development of strategic product assortments to drive sales and brand growth.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for execution questions and feedback from brand partners and internal teams, including visual merchandising, site merchandising, stores, digital, marketing, and planning.
- Review business performance with Assistant Planners, communicate style-level insights to Buyers, recommend in-season actions, and help prepare monthly open-to-buy materials.
- Manage markdown cadence and oversee offshore execution of price changes and returns to vendor; resolve escalated issues.
- Collaborate with the offshore reporting team to generate custom Buying reports, maintain structural changes to report views, and ensure delivery on expected timelines.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Basic life insurance
- Supplemental life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Additional voluntary benefits, including critical illness, hospital, and accident insurance
- Employee discount
- Career advancement opportunities
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
