Buying Assistant

Buying Assistant

Full-Time 21600 - 30000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Support Buyers in curating an amazing product range and manage vendor data.
  • Company: Join a company dedicated to helping customers create their dream homes.
  • Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, generous holiday, pension, BUPA, and ShareSave options.
  • Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team that values creativity and customer satisfaction.
  • Qualifications: Strong admin skills, effective communication, and proficiency in Microsoft Office required.
  • Other info: This is an 18-month fixed-term contract with opportunities for growth.

The predicted salary is between 21600 - 30000 £ per year.

18 Month FTC Up to £30,000 + Pension + BUPA + ShareSave + 6.6 weeks holiday + 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. Join us as a Buying Assistant and you’ll be a big part of this.

Empower the Buyer and Assistant Buyer in curating an awe-inspiring product range that delights our customers. Your role involves crafting and maintaining vendor and product data, executing competitive pricing and promotions, and ensuring that all channel requirements receive relevant information throughout the buying and merchandising journey. Additionally, you’ll be a key player in maintaining product data throughout its lifecycle and supporting the sample process for range development.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Vendor Management: Handle day-to-day vendor queries, ensuring adherence to B&Q processes and policies. Collect accurate vendor data promptly and proactively address risks and issues. Analyze key vendor performance data, including turnover information. Assist in delivering vendor strategies, organizing meetings, and visits. Manage contracts, cost prices, and approval processes. Support budgeting, forecasting, and reporting related to vendor contributions.
  • Product Data and Execution: Secure accurate customer-facing data and content across channels. Manage product data setup, progression, and archiving. Coordinate replacement link execution and category sampling for quality assurance. Execute promotions and price changes as directed by the Buyer and Assistant Buyer. Collaborate with the Strategic Pricing team for product/price comparisons.
  • Additional Responsibilities: Maintain buying tracker updates and communicate regularly with stakeholders. Utilize customer and market insights for presentations and business actions. Work alongside merchandising on projects, including range reviews and promotions. Provide general administration support to the buying team. Demonstrate a willingness to learn and develop within the commercial function.
Key Experience:
  • Strong administrative and organizational skills, including prioritization abilities.
  • Effective communication skills for interacting with both internal and external stakeholders.
  • Proactive and flexible approach, with initiative-taking abilities.
  • Analytical mindset with attention to detail.
  • Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint.

Buying Assistant employer: B&q

At our Southampton Store Support Office, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and dynamic work environment where every team member plays a vital role in enhancing the customer experience. As a Buying Assistant, you'll benefit from a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, and opportunities for professional growth, all while enjoying the flexibility of hybrid working. Join us to be part of a company that values innovation, teamwork, and the personal development of its employees.
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Contact Detail:

B&q Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Buying Assistant

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with the buying process and vendor management. Understanding how to handle vendor queries and manage contracts will give you a significant edge in your application. Research common challenges faced in vendor relationships and think about how you would address them.

✨Tip Number 2

Brush up on your analytical skills, especially in relation to product data and performance metrics. Being able to analyse vendor performance data and understand market trends will be crucial in this role. Consider using case studies or examples from your past experiences to demonstrate your analytical mindset.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. These tools are essential for managing product data and creating presentations. If you have any certifications or completed courses, make sure to highlight them during your discussions.

✨Tip Number 4

Prepare to discuss your communication skills and how you’ve effectively interacted with stakeholders in previous roles. This position requires regular communication with both internal teams and external vendors, so having examples ready will help illustrate your capabilities.

We think you need these skills to ace Buying Assistant

Vendor Management
Data Analysis
Attention to Detail
Effective Communication Skills
Organisational Skills
Proactive Approach
Flexibility
Microsoft Excel Proficiency
Microsoft PowerPoint Proficiency
Budgeting and Forecasting
Project Coordination
Problem-Solving Skills
Stakeholder Management
Market Insight Utilisation

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience and skills that align with the Buying Assistant role. Focus on your administrative, organisational, and analytical skills, as well as any experience with vendor management or product data.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Mention specific responsibilities from the job description, such as managing vendor queries or executing promotions, and explain how your background makes you a great fit.

Highlight Relevant Skills: In your application, emphasise your proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. Provide examples of how you've used these tools in previous roles to analyse data or create presentations.

Showcase Your Proactivity: Demonstrate your proactive approach by including examples of how you've taken initiative in past roles. This could be through improving processes, managing projects, or addressing challenges effectively.

How to prepare for a job interview at B&q

✨Showcase Your Organisational Skills

As a Buying Assistant, strong administrative and organisational skills are crucial. Be prepared to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully managed multiple tasks or projects in the past, highlighting your ability to prioritise effectively.

✨Demonstrate Effective Communication

You'll be interacting with various stakeholders, so it's important to showcase your communication skills. Prepare to share instances where you effectively communicated complex information or resolved conflicts, emphasising your ability to adapt your style to different audiences.

✨Highlight Your Analytical Mindset

The role requires an analytical approach, especially when dealing with vendor performance data. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to inform decisions or improve processes in previous roles, showcasing your attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.

✨Familiarise Yourself with Microsoft Office

Intermediate proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint is essential for this position. Brush up on your skills and be prepared to discuss how you've used these tools in past experiences, whether for data analysis, presentations, or reporting.

Buying Assistant
B&q
B
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