At a Glance
- Tasks: Collaborate with the Buyer to create an inspiring product range and drive sales.
- Company: Join a leading home improvement company with a focus on customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid working, and generous holiday allowance.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with excellent growth opportunities and a commitment to equality.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the home improvement industry while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in sourcing, vendor management, and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 45000 € per year.
Overview
Permanent
Up to £45,000 + Hybrid Working (3 days per week in the office)
Southampton, Store Support Office
We believe anyone can improve their home to make life better. From our Southampton Store Support office (SSO) we equip our stores, our people, and our whole business with everything it takes to help our millions of customers create a home they'll love.
What's the job?
- Work with the Buyer to create and deliver an inspirational product range that meets the needs of our customers.
- Driving sales, margin (£GM & GM%) and market share across all channels, delivering vendor contributions, rebate, and retail price index targets through strong vendor partnerships.
- Be responsible for the performance of specific subcategories and the relevant vendor relationships.
- Work alongside the Buyer to develop and implement a category proposition that meets our customer needs, identifying opportunities and mitigating risk, whilst delivering against sales, margin, and market share targets.
- Support the sourcing and development of a compelling product range, through developing relationships with new and existing vendors, which reflect the category strategy.
- Work alongside the Offer & Sourcing (O&S) team to shape and develop an own label proposition that meets the needs of our customers and market.
- Support the buying process, with an awareness of impact on cross functional teams, allowing for flexibility adhering to a critical path, to ensure stock is ordered and delivered on time.
- With the Buyer, support end to end vendor strategy management including contract and cost price negotiation, delivery of vendor contributions and annual performance review.
- Gather insights to support the creation of the category pricing hierarchy in line with framework principles, supporting the Buying Assistant with inputs into the Minderest comparison tool.
- With the category Merchandising team, support the product lifecycle including range performance, identifying and optimising trading opportunities and the delivery of promotions and range reviews.
- With the Visual Merchandising and Digital teams, support the creation and continuous improvement of customer journeys within our physical stores and online.
- With the Buying Assistant, co-ordinate and execute the sampling process for range development, including QA and Lab set up requirements.
- Work collaboratively with vendors, Marketing and Digital teams to support the acquisition and delivery of marketing assets for range and trading, including leading on brochures for the Category (where required).
- With the Buying Assistant, ensure all products and vendors are set up in line with agreed processes, with accurate complete data.
- Use support tools such as Yammer to share category information and respond to queries.
- Conduct regular store (digital & physical), competitor and vendor visits, to increase understanding of the market and support the creation of the trading plan and inform decisions.
- Manage and influence stakeholders across a range of levels, internally and externally, to support the delivery of KPIs.
- Undertake other duties from time to time as may be reasonably required.
What we need:
- Previous experience of sourcing and buying product ranges.
- Ability to understand customer insights and market trends.
- Experience in vendor management and contract negotiation.
- Strong communication and influencing skills.
- Ability to build relationships at all levels.
- Attention to detail to assist with issue resolution and problem solving.
- Experience of managing projects and holding stakeholders to account.
- Commercial and financial awareness.
- Flexible and adaptable.
- Proactive.
- Intermediate Microsoft Office skills, in particular Excel and PowerPoint.
What's in it for me?
As well as a competitive salary, our benefits package includes:
- Award-winning pension scheme.
- ShareSave options.
- 6.6 weeks holiday.
- Payroll giving.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Shopping discounts.
- Colleague wellbeing benefits...and much more.
Equality and Inclusion
We want to ensure that all employees, future employees, and applicants to all Kingfisher companies are treated equally regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
Assistant Buyer - Timber employer: B&Q Limited
At our Southampton Store Support Office, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture that empowers employees to thrive. As an Assistant Buyer - Timber, you will benefit from a competitive salary, an award-winning pension scheme, and generous holiday allowances, all while working in a hybrid environment that promotes work-life balance. With ample opportunities for professional growth and development, you'll be part of a team dedicated to creating inspiring product ranges that enhance the lives of our customers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Buyer - Timber
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its products. Understand their market position and be ready to discuss how your skills can help them achieve their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but someone who genuinely cares about their mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain why you’re the perfect fit for the Assistant Buyer role. Highlight your experience in sourcing, vendor management, and your knack for understanding customer insights. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and contributing to our mission of helping customers create homes they love.
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Buyer - Timber
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Assistant Buyer role. Highlight your experience in sourcing and buying product ranges, and don’t forget to mention any vendor management skills you have. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the role and how your skills align with what we’re looking for. Show us your personality and enthusiasm for the position!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since strong communication is key for this role, make sure to demonstrate your ability to influence and build relationships in your application. Whether it’s through examples in your CV or your cover letter, let us know how you’ve successfully managed stakeholders in the past.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role right there!
How to prepare for a job interview at B&Q Limited
✨Know Your Products
Before the interview, dive deep into the timber products relevant to the role. Familiarise yourself with current trends, popular vendors, and customer preferences. This knowledge will not only impress but also show your genuine interest in the position.
✨Showcase Your Vendor Management Skills
Be ready to discuss your experience with vendor relationships and contract negotiations. Prepare specific examples of how you've successfully managed vendors in the past, highlighting any challenges you overcame and the results achieved.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills
Since the role involves understanding market trends and customer insights, be prepared to talk about how you analyse data. Bring examples of how you've used Excel or other tools to support decision-making in previous roles.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
Think about times when you've had to influence stakeholders or manage cross-functional teams. Be ready to share these experiences, focusing on your communication strategies and how you ensured everyone was aligned towards common goals.
