Urban Outfitters Buyer - Tops

Urban Outfitters•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

At Urban Outfitters, the mission is to Fuel the Next Generation of Individuality. UO is the ultimate destination for youth culture, and they are seeking a visionary Women’s Tops Buyer to lead their most visible category. This role involves being the architect of a customer-obsessed product mix that is bold, ahead of the curve, and commercially explosive, curating the aesthetic of a generation. The ideal candidate will possess the analytical rigor of a strategist and the soul of a trend-forecaster. As the Women’s Tops Buyer, the individual will act as the ultimate curator, balancing creativity with data-driven decision-making to minimize risk and maximize the "hype" factor. Collaboration with in-house design and global vendors is crucial to ensure the assortment is thoughtful, trend-relevant, and undeniable.

Requirements

Demonstrate an understanding of the target customer and the ability to select the appropriate product/trend that will appeal to the customer and meet their expectations.
Comfort with use of statistical components of the business (IMU%, MD%, GM%, selloff, WOS, etc.) and the OTB.
Positive, professional, and timely communication with teams, supporting departments, vendors, and suppliers.
Clearly and confidently express ideas, needs, and boundaries in a respectful manner.
Proactively plans and controls time to efficiently deliver team priorities and meet deadlines.
Focus on and manage the small details of a task or project to consistently produce high-quality work.
Take responsibility for the outcomes of your work and the decisions that lead to those outcomes. Hold yourself accountable.
Commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
Models behaviors that align with URBN’s values: Unite in communicating and collaborating with integrity. Respect our planet, our world, and each other. Build lifestyle brands through creative entrepreneurship. Nurture meaningful connections with customers and employees.

Nice To Haves

Fashion or merchandising degree or equivalent experience desired.
5 years of experience in a buying role is preferred.

Responsibilities

Architect the Mix: Build a brand-appropriate, balanced assortment by merging raw customer feedback with macro fashion trends.
Drive the "Viral" Factor: Own the strategy for key items and core blocks, ensuring the right SKU count to drive maximum profit.
Private Label vs. Branded: Masterfully juggle the mix of must-have third-party brands and margin-driving private labels to ensure UO remains a differentiated shopping destination.
Be the Pulse of Youth Culture: Stay obsessed with social media, fashion shows, and street style, translating micro-trends into actionable product opportunities.
Stay Ahead: Monitor emerging cultural shifts to ensure the tops collection hits the floor right as the trend peaks.
Collaborate for Perfection: Partner with in-house Design teams to develop fashion-forward styles and work with Production to balance designs with manufacturing reality (quality, lead time, and price).
Digital-First Expansion: Support web growth by developing a variety of digital-first styles and exclusive online capsules.
Own the Business: Proactively manage the Open to Buy (OTB) plan, using real-time data to execute timely reorders, cancellations, and markdown strategies.
Data-Driven Decisions: Be a data champion, analyzing velocity, returns, and attributes to optimize the assortment, making decisions based on insights.
Negotiate for Growth: Build strong relationships with global suppliers to secure exclusivity, better pricing, and faster delivery terms.
Professional Integrity: Represent the UO brand with professionalism, attracting new vendors that align with the brand vision.