Buyer I - Jared

Signet Jewelers•Akron, OH

About The Position

The Associate Buyer helps develop merchandise assortments and strategies to drive profitable category sales and productivity while ensuring product value, quality, and styling. The role either directly manages a small category or assists a Senior Buyer or above with a larger category. As a leader within the category management team (CMT), the Associate Buyer partners with their manager on assortment planning, selection, maintenance, and promotion for designated product categories.

Responsibilities

Provide input, as requested, on the strategic vision for the category.
Maintain current knowledge of jewelry market trends and competitive strategies, and adapt quickly to changing market trends, conditions, priorities, and corporate strategies.
Analyze and respond to business performance weekly.
Participate in developing financial plans and advertising and marketing plans for designated product categories.
Assist with business reviews for designated product categories presented to leadership.
Oversee training and career development for direct reports or team members.
Develop, select, test, price, and acquire quality merchandise that reflects consumer demand and strategic department goals and policies.
Develop new product concepts or brands for test markets, with potential for broader store rollout.
Participate actively in lifecycle management, from idea inception through clearance and end of life.
Manage vendor relationships strategically and identify and develop strong vendor partners.
Understand product cost structures.
Help plan and manage merchandising assortments for e-commerce websites.
Work with the Inventory Analyst to ensure appropriate in-stock levels.
Manage negotiations with suppliers regarding returns of discontinued products.
Negotiate annual purchasing agreement contracts with vendors.
Coordinate with marketing, visual display, and advertising departments to promote key items, programs, brands, and categories.
Merchandise marketing-channel items for designated product categories and present and justify catalog and promotional items to merchandise directors and vice presidents.
Partner with Sourcing on factory selection and cost negotiations.
Participate with the CMT in managing open-to-buy for assigned product categories and update it as needed.
Work with Signet's accounting department, when applicable, to ensure credits and aging are applied correctly.
Assist the CMT with vendor performance issues, including late orders and quality control issues.
Proof advertising materials, including catalogs, emails, websites, customer mailings, and in-store signage, for accuracy.
Collaborate with the Visual Merchandising team on in-store presentations and planograms.
Work cross-functionally with Store Operations, Visual Merchandising, Distribution Center, and Planning teams on store tests, rollouts, and returns to vendor.