Assistant Buyer - Food

Job Introduction

As an Assistant Buyer, you will be responsible for our Beer, Wine and Spirits Buying department, supporting the Buyer in sourcing brands and product. You will work with the Buyer to negotiate the best terms for the business with suppliers. To ensure the ordering process is efficient and compliant with Selfridges processes and to assist the Buying Admin where necessary.

As Assistant Buyer, you will:

· Supporting the buyer across the BWS business – ensuring thorough knowledge of product and market

· Negotiate the best possible terms with suppliers i.e. margin, trade discounts, markdown support, working with the Buyer where appropriate

· Forge strong partnerships with our brand partners and our brand partnerships team

· Work with the Buyer and Merchandiser to ensure that decisions are based on a sound commercial framework to drive sales and profit

· Monitor and review trade in season, making trading recommendations to the Buyer where necessary.

· Support the Buyers Admin with weekly trade packs, and NPD packs feeding back and presenting key findings to Senior stakeholders

· Drive space takeovers in London and the city flagships ensuring that everything is approved ahead of time, forms filled in/agreements in place and brands know when to install/deinstall

· Assist with range planning, working closely with the Merchandiser and Buyer

· Work with the Merchandiser to analyse performance, making recommendations to the Buyer i.e. to keep or discontinue within the business

· Communicate effectively with retail operations teams, particularly with regard to new launches and product training

· Work closely with Marketing and PR and to be aware of promotional opportunities during negotiations with suppliers

· Carry out research into key trends and attend tastings/events

· Where relevant, to supervise the wider team and monitor workload always thinking about better ways of working and streamlining the workload

· Work closely with VM to ensure product placement optimises the look and performance of the department

· Ensure effective communication with retail operations teams, particularly with regard to new season launches and product training

· Work with our concession partners to support and drive them to reach/exceed plan

· Support the buyers admin with their product development and their general workload if required

A bit about you

· Highly knowledgeable. You will have a well-developed understanding of the product/market

· Buying Experience Required and WSET (or equivalent) Preferred

· Strategic and operational. With strong analytical skills and experience driving long-term and profitable commercial strategies, you’ll be able to successfully manage projects through to completion.

· Engaging. Able to influence your stakeholders, retail and brands, you know how to use both data and market trends to drive commercial opportunities

· Customer focused. Combined with exceptional taste and instinct, you are able to push the boundaries to offer new and exciting product

· All over the numbers. You are numerate with a highly commercial approach, as well as proficient in excel

· Collaborative. Working flexibly as part of the wider Buying team you will support in projects and cross functional meetings as appropriate

· Organised with attention to detail

· Excellent interpersonal skills

· Ability to influence