Associate Buyer
About The Position
The Associate Buyer will be responsible for all aspects of the buying process for Vince Outlet Stores, with responsibility and accountability for product buys. This role involves developing a strong understanding of the business, communicating performance, trends, and opportunities to cross-functional partners through reporting, and analyzing data to develop seasonal product assortments. The Associate Buyer will identify growth opportunities, react to in-season business trends, and partner with various teams including Design, Merchandising, Store, Visual, Marketing, and the Outlet Planning Manager to drive sales and optimize performance. The role also includes leading pre-market, in-market, and post-market analysis and buy maintenance, as well as developing and improving departmental systems, tools, and processes.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- 3-5 years of retail buying experience.
- Multi-store brand experience with understanding of regional markets.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including a comfort level with public speaking.
- Exceptional computer skills including complete proficiency with Excel and all relevant functions.
- Proficiency with Retail math. Ability to readily work with data, extract results, and communicate findings.
- Exhibits high standards and accountability; takes pride in accuracy.
- Result-oriented and self-motivated with a strong sense of urgency.
- Able to independently organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines.
Nice To Haves
- Outlet experience is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Responsible for all aspects of the buying process for Vince Outlet Stores, with responsibility and accountability for product buys.
- Develop a strong understanding of the business and communicate performance, trends, and opportunities to cross-functional partners through weekly, monthly, and seasonal reporting.
- Analyze historical data, store feedback, current business trends, and management insights to develop seasonal product assortments and make recommendations on SKU count, assortment, pricing, and key item strategies.
- Identify growth opportunities and react to in-season business trends to drive sales and optimize performance within assigned categories.
- Partner with Design and Merchandising on the development of the MFO collection and seasonal product lines.
- Lead pre-market analysis and preparation, in-market analysis and buy maintenance, and post-market order entry and upkeep.
- Partner with Store, Visual, and Marketing teams to identify product flip needs, support promotional events, and maintain appropriate inventory levels for marketed and mannequin items.
- Build strong relationships with the Retail Fleet team to understand store-level business nuances and respond to evolving product and inventory needs.
- Partner with the Outlet Planning Manager to achieve sales and gross margin targets while maintaining healthy inventory levels, and on transfer strategies from Full Price stores.
- Develop and improve systems, tools, and processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness within the department.
Benefits
- Robust healthcare options for medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, and health savings account with employer funding
- 401(k) with employer match
- Generous paid time off plans for vacation, sick, and personal, volunteer time, as well as company holidays
- Hybrid and flexible work options available for roles that can be done remotely
- Clothing allowance & merchandise discounts
- $400 annual gym reimbursement
- Monthly data/phone stipend for eligible roles
- Mental health support tools and telehealth psychology and psychiatry
- Family and caregiving benefits including a competitive paid parental leave program as well as supplemental infertility coverage
- Life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
- Supplemental hospital indemnity, specified disease, and accident coverage
- Pre-tax commuter benefits including transit and parking
- Discounted pet, home & auto, and legal insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
