Urban Outfitters Buyer - Beauty

Urban Outfitters•Philadelphia, PA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Urban Outfitters is looking for a Beauty Buyer! This isn't just a job—it's a mission to Fuel The Next Generation of Individuality. Our beauty department is a destination for discovery, self-expression, and the "next big thing." You will be the architect of a customer-obsessed mix of cosmetics, skincare, and wellness products that are bold, viral, and commercially explosive. If you’re ready to use your expertise and a relentless focus on data to drive a beauty resurgence, this is your platform. As a Beauty Buyer , you are a curator of self-care and a strategist of self-expression. You’ll move beyond personal favorites, using performance data and deep social immersion to build an assortment—from cult-favorite skincare to trending color cosmetics—that electrifies our customer base and propels the UO brand forward.

Requirements

Experience: 5–7 years in a fast-paced retail buying role, specifically within the Beauty, Skincare, or Wellness sectors.
Education: A degree in Merchandising, Business, or equivalent experience that has fueled your understanding of the beauty landscape.
Analytical Power: Full command of retail math ( IMU%, MD%, GM%, WOS, OTB ) and the ability to pivot strategy based on weekly category performance.
Beauty Fluency: A deep, demonstrated understanding of ingredients, skin types, and the target UO customer’s beauty habits.
Leadership & Influence: Proven ability to build trust with cross-functional partners and communicate complex strategy effectively to leadership. You are a mentor who develops junior talent (Assistant/Associate Buyers).

Responsibilities

Curate the Next "It" Routine
Architect the Mix: Build a balanced, brand-defining beauty assortment by translating customer feedback and social media buzz into a cohesive, commercially viable product offering.
Drive Viral Growth: Own the "Must-Have" strategy. Identify the next viral ingredient or brand and maximize sales through aggressive chasing and strategic online-exclusive launches.
Discovery & Private Label: Strategically manage the blend of established cult brands, emerging indie labels, and high-margin UO private label collections (Oibi, etc.).
Be the Pulse: Live and breathe the "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) culture. Monitor TikTok trends, skin-fluencers, and global wellness shifts to stay at the cutting edge of the industry.
Translate Trends into Action: Identify emerging movements (like "glass skin," "clean girl," or "90s grunge revival") and quickly translate them into actionable product opportunities.
Collaborate for Perfection: Partner with our in-house teams to develop exclusive beauty products, focusing on innovative formulas, sustainable packaging, and "shelfie-worthy" aesthetics.
Regulatory Awareness: Work with Production and Compliance to ensure all beauty products meet quality standards and safety regulations while maintaining speed-to-market.
Expand the Beauty Closet: Attract, negotiate with, and secure new, distinctive beauty and wellness brands to create a differentiated mix that only UO can offer.
Negotiate for Growth: Leverage your expertise to negotiate pricing, exclusivity, and marketing support that aggressively support our business objectives.
Own the Business: Proactively manage the Open to Buy (OTB). Use real-time sell-through trends to execute timely reorders, cancellations, and markdown strategies that maximize profitability.
Data-Driven Decisions: Analyze velocity, return rates, and category performance to constantly optimize the mix. You lead with insights—not just intuition—to drive growth.