Associate Buyer, EMEA

Company DescriptionAt A&F, we are at an exciting stage in our build‐out of the EMEA regional office and we have a clear strategy to grow our brands in the region (Hollister Co, Gilly Hicks, Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie Kids). We are looking for strong, curious, optimists who aim high, push boundaries & are willing to roll their sleeves up & get stuck in to join on this exciting journey!

Job DescriptionThis individual will work as part of the EMEA Brands team to develop local product strategy and support for the A&F or Hollister brand. They will drive product strategy across all channels. They will work directly with the global product team to create the local version of our brand aesthetic. Success in this role will be highly dependent upon building and maintaining exceptional relationships with internal and external teams in both EMEA and the US.

What will you be doing?

Within a business division, act as owner for a full merchandise department for the brand in the EMEA region

Lead merchandise buys and distortions for two merchandise departments, leveraging regional customer preferences and advancing regional business strategy while preserving brand identity and priorities

Create the high‐level architecture for an EMEA‐exclusive product assortment

Ensure assortments are consistent with overall brand strategy and identity

Item‐level execution of EMEA‐exclusive assortment will be handled in partnership with Home Office Design and Merchandise teams

EMEA‐exclusive product assortment is expected to play a key role in sales growth

Be the expert in current selling analysis and historical selling knowledge for the region

Leverage financial and strategic capabilities to influence promotions, pricing, product placement, etc. as well as product development and assortments

Intimately understand regional customers\’ preferences and interests by observing shopping patterns, regularly shopping competitors, aspirational brands/ runway and monitoring media platforms

Execute against key milestones / seasonal processes:

Following each season, execute a detailed hindsight / strategic line review process at the department level to inform future strategy and identify line list needs for design

Present weekly selling / business updates as part of a regular Monday review process, evaluating performance, proposing tactical improvements, and consolidating results into a summary to be shared with the Home Office

Participate in central assortment reviews on a seasonal basis, contributing ideas, identifying top items, and preparing for seasonal buys

Participate in monthly Chase / Buy / Cut reviews to provide a regional perspective on key products and fine‐tune assortments

Participate in monthly MPC meetings, working with team to identify upsides and risks to the plan

Connect remotely and in‐person with Home Office Visual Merchandising teams to coordinate floorsets

Partner with Home Office teams to ensure EMEA‐exclusive assortment is on track throughout the product development process, carrying out consistent updates and communicating effectively both remotely and in‐person

What will you need to bring?

Bachelor\’s or undergraduate University degree equivalent

2+ years of Merchandising or Buying experience, preferably in apparel

Proven leadership experience and ability to thrive in team‐based settings

Passion for the buying role, fashion retail, customer research, and the Hollister brand

Desire to take ownership for a portion of a multi‐billion‐dollar business

An acute eye for product and trend

A deep understanding of sales analysis and financial metrics that relate to your business

Strong presentation skills and the ability to communicate confidently to leadership

Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed by the department

A high comfort‐level with analytical sales tools and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

A collaborative approach to working with cross‐functional partners to achieve the vision of the brand

Additional InformationABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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