Assistant Buyer

The Paper Store•Acton, MA

4d•$60,000 - $75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As an Assistant Buyer, Toys, you will partner with the Buyer to build and execute product assortments that delight customers and support category growth. The role supports identifying opportunities, analyzing business performance, managing vendor relationships, and bringing products to market. It combines buying operations and execution with trend discovery and is intended for someone seeking to grow their expertise and eventually own a category.

Requirements

At least 2 years of buying, merchandising, or category management experience in the Toy retail category across brick-and-mortar and e-commerce, as stated in the role overview.
The job requirements section specifies 1–3 years of experience as an assistant buyer in a retail organization.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook; Excel pivot tables and VLOOKUPs are a plus.
Strong organizational skills, including prioritization, time management, and meeting deadlines.
Strong numerical and analytical aptitude, with comfort using Excel and data to support decisions.
Communication and negotiation skills or experience.
Ability to manage multiple tasks, maintain attention to detail, and follow through.
Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively across cross-functional teams.
Ability to work at least 4 days per week onsite at the Corporate Office in Acton, Massachusetts.
Professional presentation in attire, demeanor, and appearance.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Fashion, or Retail is preferred.
Interest in growing into a Buyer role and owning a category over time.

Responsibilities

Monitor emerging retail, social, and customer-behavior trends to support product ideas.
Prepare for vendor meetings, trade shows, and product reviews; track new products, best sellers, and category opportunities.
Manage purchase orders, including entry, updates, vendor follow-ups, order status, shipping, cost accuracy, and discrepancy resolution.
Maintain SKU setup, vendor data, and product information in internal systems.
Manage open-order reporting, cancellations, and backorder resolution.
Execute allocations and replenishment for store inventory needs in partnership with Planning and Distribution Center teams.
Initiate transfers, consolidations, and recalls as needed, and support inventory productivity through accurate data and timely execution.
Run and maintain sales, markdown, and inventory reports; analyze sell-through, turn, and margin performance to identify trends.
Support the Buyer in responding to business performance and adjusting strategies; develop foundational knowledge of retail math and financial drivers.
Partner with E-Commerce and Marketing on accurate online product setup; prepare product information, images, and materials for digital channels.
Assist with store merchandising directives, promotional events, seasonal launches, and other key initiatives.
Communicate with vendors about samples, product details, and order updates; support vendor relationships, onboarding, and product introductions.