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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the buying strategy for health and beauty, driving category growth and supplier partnerships.
- Company: Join a leading health and beauty retailer focused on innovation and customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, car allowance, private medical, pension, and product discounts.
- Why this job: Shape the future of retail in a dynamic environment with a focus on customer-first strategies.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior buying roles, strategic thinking, and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Flexible working with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.
The predicted salary is between 86000 - 115000 £ per year.
Job Description
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY – BUYING DIRECTOR (LEADING HEALTH & BEAUTY RETAILER)
Job Title: Buying Director
Reporting To: Commercial Director
Location: Slough or Weybridge
Salary: £100,000–£110,000+ (Negotiable on level of experience)
Package: Car Allowance, Private Medical, Pension, Holiday Allowance, Product Discounts, Onsite Parking
Type: Full Time, Permanent (3 days office vs 2 days home)
About the Opportunity
We’re seeking a commercially astute and forward-thinking Buying Director to lead our Health & Beauty buying strategy and trading performance. This is a pivotal leadership role with end-to-end accountability for delivering compelling customer propositions, shaping supplier strategy and driving category growth at pace.
As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will define the strategic direction of our product offering – across own-label, brand partnerships, and branded ranges – ensuring our health and beauty categories remain competitive, innovative and customer-focused in a dynamic retail environment.
Key Accountabilities
- Set the mid-long-term buying strategy across health, beauty, wellness and personal care categories, aligning with broader commercial and business goals
- Lead and develop a high-performing buying team, fostering a culture of strategic thinking, accountability, and agility
- Build differentiated category plans, informed by data, customer insight, market trends and commercial performance
- Own the supplier and sourcing strategy, developing long-term partnerships that unlock margin growth, exclusivity, and innovation
- Shape the promotional and pricing architecture, balancing short-term trading outcomes with long-term brand value
- Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, supply chain, digital and finance teams to drive seamless execution across all channels
- Provide commercial leadership at a strategic level, influencing board-level discussions and contributing to business transformation initiatives
- Champion a customer-first approach, ensuring product ranges are relevant, trend-led, and aligned to changing shopper behaviour
What You’ll Bring
- Experience in a Senior Buying managerial role – ideally within Health, Beauty, FMCG or Retail
- A strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action, balancing long-term growth with short-term trading performance
- Exceptional strategic supplier management and negotiation skills, with experience shaping joint business plans at scale
- Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing, multi-category buying or trading teams
- Strong analytical mindset, with the confidence to use data to shape strategic decision-making
- Deep knowledge of customer behaviour, category performance levers, and the competitive landscape
- A collaborative and influential leader, confident operating at senior executive level
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of health and beauty retail at a time of significant momentum and innovation. If you’re a commercially driven leader with the vision and capability to lead at pace — we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now or get in touch directly at tom.richards@harbourneassociates.com
Buying Director employer: Harbourne Associates
Contact Detail:
Harbourne Associates Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Buying Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the health and beauty retail sector. Attend industry events, webinars, or local meetups to connect with potential colleagues or mentors who can provide insights into the role and company culture.
✨Tip Number 2
Research the latest trends in health and beauty retail. Familiarise yourself with current market dynamics, consumer preferences, and innovative product offerings to demonstrate your knowledge during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your strategic vision for the buying function. Think about how you would approach supplier management, category growth, and customer engagement, as these are key aspects of the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership style and experience in managing high-performing teams. Be ready to share examples of how you've fostered a culture of accountability and strategic thinking in previous roles.
We think you need these skills to ace Buying Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in senior buying roles, particularly within health, beauty, FMCG, or retail. Use specific examples that demonstrate your strategic thinking and leadership skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your understanding of the health and beauty market. Discuss how your experience aligns with the company's goals and how you can contribute to their buying strategy.
Highlight Key Achievements: In both your CV and cover letter, emphasise key achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead high-performing teams and drive category growth. Use metrics where possible to quantify your success.
Showcase Analytical Skills: Given the importance of data in this role, include examples of how you've used data to inform strategic decisions in previous positions. This will show your analytical mindset and ability to shape decision-making.
How to prepare for a job interview at Harbourne Associates
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
As a Buying Director, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to set and execute a long-term buying strategy. Prepare examples of how you've successfully translated vision into actionable plans in previous roles, particularly in the health and beauty sectors.
✨Highlight Supplier Management Skills
Be ready to discuss your experience with supplier negotiations and relationship management. Share specific instances where you've developed long-term partnerships that led to margin growth or innovation, as this will be key for the role.
✨Demonstrate Analytical Acumen
Prepare to showcase your analytical skills by discussing how you've used data to inform strategic decisions. Bring examples of how you've leveraged customer insights and market trends to drive category performance.
✨Emphasise Leadership Experience
This role requires leading a high-performing team, so be prepared to talk about your leadership style. Share experiences where you've fostered a culture of accountability and strategic thinking within your teams, especially in a multi-category environment.
