Junior Buyer - Furniture

Job description

Junior Buyer - Furniture

London

Excellent salary + benefits

Job role:           Junior Buyer – Furniture (Bedroom, kids, Outdoor, Kitchens)

Location:          Farringdon, London

Grade:              E

About Habitat

Since 1964, Habitat has been challenging the way people style and shop for their homes. We’re an iconic homeware and furniture retailer that’s going through exciting times: alongside our three long-standing London flagship stores and extensive website, the brand is thinking big by going small - with a roll out programme planned for 2015 that’ll see our Mini Habitat stores grow massively countrywide.

For over 50 years Habitat has created good design that’s useful, distinctive and just a little witty. We recognise that today there are more brands than ever selling furniture, but we’re strong in our conviction that we’re true originals, because almost every piece in our collection is designed by us.

About the Role

Working as part of the furniture and upholstery team and reporting into a Senior Buyer, you will manage your own categories to deliver range targets & business objectives

The role has a large impact on the organisation through:

• Product selection will drive decisions made in distribution, stores and online
• The sales and margin forecasts drive out the cost management across all areas of the business, including head office, stores and distribution
• The role operates within all the Habitat  sales channels

As the Junior Buyer on Furniture you’ll:

• Plan under the remit set by the Senior Buyer a compelling range targeted at the customer.
• Manage the product and packaging Critical Path to ensure key dates across All OPCOS are delivered.
• Maximise online and marketing opportunities
• Be effective in supplier negotiations to maximise promotional/range opportunities
• Support the Senior Buyer to deliver the Category strategic and financial plans
• Deliver ranging propositions in conjunction with the Senior Buyer and Merchandiser, working within a pre-defined strategy
• Understand and can explain market and consumer trends by monitoring competitor activity
• Monitor and review range data, making recommendations for appropriate activity
• Work closely with the Merchandiser to achieve stock targets & ensure availability
• Support and participate in cross functional projects – Argos, Homebase and Mini Habitats
• Assist in the delivery of visual display initiatives
• Contribute to the supply base strategy
• Line manage a Buying Assistant  
• Interact with various stakeholders internally and externally and must be able to communicate and influence.
  
  • 
    Internal
    • Works closely with Design, Merchandising, Marketing, Ecommerce and Sourcing team, to maximise sales, profit and availability
    • Liaise with Homebase & Argos teams to acquire customer insight, develop catalogue pages and deliver  material for both in store and media channels
    • Liaise with customer services, QA and Legal to deliver a customer focused offer
    • Engage with peers and commercial team management
    • Collaboration with Homebase  and Argos counterparts
  • External
  •  Point of contact for  Agents and Suppliers

Your experience and skills will ideally include:

• Being of graduate calibre with previous experience within retail furniture buying
• Would suit a high performing Assistant Buyer ready for the next step in their career
• Prior product development experience with range responsibility working for a similar design led retailer and in a similar category
• Direct sourcing and rapid purchasing experience
• Must possess strong commercial awareness of the market
• Ability to plan and deliver a range consisting of both off the shelf, adjusted, and fully exclusively developed product which fits the needs of the range and Habitat orientation
• Strong organisational skills
• Deadline driven, must have a passion for driving results and the ability to work under pressure
• Excellence in interpersonal skills, must be able to work effectively at all levels
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• Analytical and detail oriented
• Strong customer affinity, must be able to respond to customer needs.

What we hope you will do next

Please complete our short application process by clicking apply now.

Habitat operates as an equal opportunities employer and we welcome all applications regardless of gender, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, disability, age, political opinions or trade union membership