Assistant Buyer

Starboard Cruise Services•Doral, FL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Buyer partners with the Buyer and Merchandise Manager to develop strategic vision, business strategy, and assortment plans for assigned programs or classifications. The role builds customer-centered assortments based on cruise-line brands, guest demographics, product-category and marketplace knowledge, and data. In partnership with Planning, the Associate Buyer works toward sales, gross margin, and inventory-turnover or weeks-of-supply plans, evaluates in-season performance and trends, and uses results to inform future strategies. The role collaborates across teams to execute assortments and leads and develops one or more direct reports. The position supports multiple cruise-line profiles, develops onboard merchandising standards and retail experiences, sources and manages vendors, and negotiates commercial terms. It develops and adjusts assortments, pricing, SKU counts, and product life cycles to serve guest needs and meet financial goals. The Associate Buyer reviews category, vendor, and ship performance, manages inventory and markdowns, and prepares monthly business reviews with Merchandise and Planning partners. The role requires regular collaboration across departments and with vendors, along with the ability to make recommendations and decisions independently with some managerial guidance. Travel is expected for 10–25% of the time. Some flexibility in hours is permitted, but the employee must be available during core hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and work 30 hours per week to maintain full-time status. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required. The work takes place in an office environment.

Requirements

4 to 6 years of experience.
Bachelor’s degree.
Strong analytical and strategy-formulation skills.
Ability to be flexible and balance organizational priorities.
Ability to lead initiatives and drive results within specified timeframes.
Strong partnering skills that support efficient decision-making.
Demonstrated financial acumen.
Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Exceptional communication skills.
Strong negotiation skills.
Creativity, innovation, and passion for trends.
Ability to manage one or more employees within a department.
Ability to make recommendations and decisions independently, with some managerial guidance, and to solve problems at a relatively high level.
Ability to participate in strategy development aligned with the category vision set by the Merchandise Manager.
Competency in customer service, relationship management, business acumen, drive for results, self-development, courage, problem solving, effective communication, teamwork and collaboration, managing conflict, motivating others, adaptability, decision-making, and managing and measuring work.
Ability to meet the physical demands of frequent sitting, walking, and standing; occasional climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, balancing, and lifting office products and supplies up to 20 pounds; frequent eye, hand, and finger coordination; and oral and auditory communication.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Merchandise Manager to develop and execute strategic vision for assigned areas and support multiple cruise-line profiles.
Develop onboard merchandising standards and partner with visual and marketing teams to execute them.
Source, develop, and manage vendors; negotiate terms, gross margin, and exclusive agreements.
Create customer-centered retail experiences relevant to cruise-line guest demographics and itineraries.
Monitor trends, market updates, competitive activity, and white-space opportunities; regularly review category, vendor, and ship performance with the Merchandise Manager.
Deliver profitable assortments informed by consumer trends, cruise-line demographics, and data.
Manage assortment mix, SKU-level performance, pricing strategy, and SKU counts to achieve appropriate breadth and depth for each program.
Work with brands on exclusive products and First at Sea assortment opportunities.
Prepare for and conduct vendor meetings independently.
Use business insights and retail judgment to meet or exceed financial targets and execute category initiatives.
Analyze business and brand performance by ship and reset assortments to performance, focusing on core, white-space, and exclusive opportunities.
Manage inventory currency, markdowns, SKU optimization, and product life cycles to maintain inventory and age standards.
Negotiate favorable margins and vendor support for profit initiatives.
Prepare monthly OTB materials with Merchandise Manager and Planning partners, presenting performance, opportunities, and short-term strategies to merchandising and planning leadership.
Build strong working relationships with planning partners and colleagues across departments.
Drive cross-departmental initiatives through peer collaboration and organizational relationships.
Lead and develop one or more direct reports.
Travel 10–25% of the time.
Be available during core work hours Monday through Friday and work 30 hours each week to maintain full-time status; occasional evening and weekend work may be required.