Associate Buyer

Williams-Sonoma, Inc.•San Francisco, CA

70d•$75,000 - $80,000•Onsite

About The Position

You will be part of a collaborative team responsible for creating assortment strategies based on analyzing sales and trend. Our job blends creativity, analytics, and marketing. The Associate Buyer will develop business strategies and seasonal assortment plans to maximize the development of the brand, sales and profits for the department. You will be responsible for coordinating information across functions working closely with Design, Inventory Management, Sourcing, Production, Packaging and Visual to ensure the process is followed and timelines met. You will have the opportunity to participate in design meetings while identifying opportunities and recommend new product or concepts for the department.

Requirements

BA/BS degree required
3+ years in corporate merchandising
Advanced retail math skills
Strong presentation skills
Strong leadership skills
Ability to work autonomously, strong decision-making skills with good judgement
Strong written and verbal communication to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams
Ability to work in a fast pace, often changing environment
Advanced MS Excel skills; required to create pivot tables, advanced formulas, and functions such as VLOOKUPS
This role requires being onsite in the (provide office location) office Monday through Thursday and Friday as optional in the office
Occasional travel may be required within the bay area for photo shoots and floor sets.

Responsibilities

Develop business strategies and seasonal assortment plans to maximize the development of the brand, sales and profits for the department
Own final assortment plans (line lists), product details, target retails, estimated IMU, importance to overall assortment (big bets) and floor plan location for developing purchase projections and buy plans.
Identify emerging trends and develop business strategies outlining strengths, weaknesses, new opportunities and threats. Obtain feedback from stores to improve product and add to collections
Participate in the development of the annual and seasonal financial plans
Provide SKU information to Merchandising Operations for input
Responsible for coordinating information across functions working closely with Design, Inventory Management, Sourcing, Production, Packaging and Visual to ensure the process is followed and timelines met
Present product vision and category performance to members of our leadership team
Correspond with functional areas. Resolves, handles, and escalates difficult issues to Director/Buyer, Call Center and Stores

Benefits

A generous discount on all WSI 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, learning programs, and speaker series