Senior Buyer in Manchester

Senior Buyer

Application Deadline: 10 October 2026

Department: Product

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Manchester

Reporting To: Head of Buying

Description

We're looking for a Senior Buyer to take real ownership of our jersey-based categories and shape the strategy that drives them. This is a senior, high-accountability role: you'll set the direction for your department's buying strategy, build a product range that's commercially sharp and genuinely customer-centric, and bring the seniority and judgement needed to influence decisions at the highest level.

You’ll have advanced technical expertise in jersey categories and a strong track record of hands‑on buying at a senior level, paired with sharp analytical ability and trend awareness that lets you make confident, high‑stakes calls on sales, margin, and product performance. Vendor relationships are core to this role — we need someone who has operated at a senior level with suppliers, and who knows how to build the kind of lasting, high‑value partnerships that a business like ours depends on.

What You’ll Do

• Take ownership of Adanola's product strategy for your department, shaping an approach within jersey-based categories that directly informs and feeds into the company's top-line product strategy.
• Lead the partnership with Design and Merchandising to deliver a strategic, commercial, and profitable jersey range for the Adanola customer globally — setting the direction, not just executing it.
• Bring authoritative market and competitor insight to the table, using your understanding of global trends and customer behaviour to identify and act on opportunities ahead of the market.
• Drive new product creation and seasonal direction in partnership with Design, using your seniority and category expertise to influence decisions at the earliest stages.
• Take full accountability for actively trading the department — making fast, data-driven calls on in-season performance and owning the commercial outcome.
• Be answerable for department-level KPIs across sales, margin, stock, and newness, with the autonomy to determine how those targets are met.
• Negotiate and agree department budgets, forecasts, and frameworks directly with Heads of Product, bringing a senior voice to commercial planning.
• Own the critical path end-to-end, exercising judgement to balance supplier lead times against department deadlines.
• Lead range build and present with authority in Sign Off meetings, defending strategy and budget decisions at a senior level.
• Take strategic ownership of the supply base, using seniority and credibility to negotiate risk, margin, and quality improvements, and to build lasting, high-value vendor partnerships.
• Represent Adanola on buying and inspiration trips, including senior-level engagement with key jersey vendors.
• Operate as a senior cross-functional partner, building the kind of trusted relationships that carry weight across the buying function and beyond.
• Shape how Marketing brings product launches and storytelling to life, contributing senior product expertise to that partnership.
• Step up to deputise for the Head of Buying, acting with full authority in their absence.

About you as a leader:

• Set the standard for your team through regular 1-1s, clear job specs, and sharply defined objectives — leading with the authority and clarity expected of a senior buyer.
• Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing team, building a culture that's both successful and genuinely happy to work in.
• Hold your team to a high standard of accountability, always anchored in Adanola's brand values and guidelines.
• Mentor and develop Assistant/Junior Buyers and Buying Assistants, using your seniority to actively shape the next generation of buying talent.
• Set the tone for best practice across the buying team, taking the lead on evolving processes and tools.

About you

• Significant buying experience in fashion or apparel retail, with proven senior or lead buying experience, with a strong track record within jersey-based categories.
• Established experience leading and motivating a team at a senior level.
• A track record of building strong, genuine, and lasting relationships — both with internal stakeholders and external partners, particularly key vendors and suppliers.
• Strong commercial acumen, with a demonstrable record of driving sales and profitability at a senior level.
• Excellent negotiation, vendor management, and relationship-building skills, with real credibility in front of suppliers.
• Highly analytical and confident working with financial reports, using data to drive senior-level decision-making.
• Deep trend knowledge and a strong understanding of global fashion markets.
• Proven ability to manage multiple seasons and competing priorities in a fast-paced, senior retail role.
• Proficiency in buying systems, Excel, and planning tools; PLM experience is a plus.
• A strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset, ready to operate at a senior leadership level.

Why Adanola?

We’re on a mission to become the go-to destination to shop your everyday uniform and we’re looking for talented, positive people to work towards this goal. As the company continues to grow at a fast pace, it’s an exciting time to be part of the journey. So, if you’re passionate, driven, and ready to make a real impact, we’d love to hear from you!

Some of the benefits we offer our employees:

• Business-wide bonus structure
• Regular in office wellness events
• Private Medical Insurance
• Flexible workplace (3 days a week in our Manchester office)
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Day off on your Birthday
• 50% staff discount