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About the Role

Lead and shape the Beauty assortment in a high-impact role, taking ownership of a commercially critical and strategic portfolio. Blend market insight with supplier and brand relationships to bring world-class brands to customers. Balance long-term strategy, complex negotiations, and fast-paced trading to maximize sales, margin, and market share. This is an opportunity to drive competitive advantage for an iconic retail brand.

Responsibilities

• Plan and buy the best range for customers within your category, delivering agreed KPIs including sales, gross margin, and stock targets.
• Optimize market trends and create competitive advantage by buying an assortment of high strategic importance and/or complexity.
• Independently manage supplier/Brand relationships and conduct supplier terms negotiations.
• Analyze commercial input and market data to bring branded and own-brand ranges to market, working with specialist functions to deliver a competitive pricing architecture.
• Maximize opportunities and lead in-season trading to potentialize outcomes for customers and the category.
• Manage Junior Buyers and Buying Assistants, creating conditions for them to thrive and balancing their focus and priorities.
• Work at pace and agility in a collaborative environment with the Category Lead.
• Maintain strong external relationships with suppliers/Brands and external teams.
• Ensure up-to-date expert market knowledge for the category and predict future market dynamics.
• Build and maintain strong supplier/Brand relationships, ensuring adherence to required standards and agreed terms.
• Make decisions on product assortment: development, sourcing, brand positioning, price structure, and margins in line with category and customer strategy.
• Collaborate with Merchandiser to prepare and share Standardised Range Plan, in line with critical path, for handover to the Central Operations Team.
• Sign off product ranges and branch grading with Category Lead when required, using reporting from Product Operations.
• Propose Balance To Achieve across commercial KPIs for the assortment each month in collaboration with the Merchandiser.
• Ensure Buying office negotiated rebates targets are achieved.
• Comply with all critical path requirements.

Requirements

• Extensive experience in the retail industry, with a focus on buying, category management, or product management within the designated category.
• Direct experience in buying practices for both branded and own-brand, merchandising strategies, and supplier negotiations.
• Proven brand experience, ideally in Beauty and/or Wellness.
• Management of critical path for both branded and own-brand product.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience in leading strategic commercial negotiations with suppliers and Brands to secure favourable terms and agreements, maximising value and profitability for the category.
• In-depth knowledge and expertise within the designated category, including an understanding of product trends, customer preferences, and industry dynamics.
• Direct experience in range planning, product assortment development, and brand management within the category.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate ideas, negotiate agreements, and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven management experience (minimum of 2 direct reports).

Skills

• Buying
• Category Management
• Product Management
• Merchandising Strategies
• Supplier Negotiations
• Brand Experience
• Critical Path Management
• Commercial Negotiations
• Range Planning
• Product Assortment Development
• Brand Management
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Team Leadership

Location

• London, Pimlico Head Office
• London Central Office, 1 Drummond Gate, London, , SW1V 2QQ

Work Type

• Hybrid working
• Fixed term contract
• 35 hours per week
• 35 hours Monday to Friday

Experience Level

• Experienced Buyer
• Partnership Level 6

Salary/Compensations

• £55,600.00 - £84,100.00 per annum dependant on skill and experience
• £55,600.00 - £84,100.00 Annual

About the Company

• We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose.
• We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world.
• We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify.
• Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
• As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards.
• We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
• We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE.
• Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
• As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Equal Opportunity

• It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates).
• We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.
• We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.