At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead buying strategies for laundry and dishwashers, negotiating with suppliers and managing product ranges.
- Company: Join Currys, the UK's leading tech retailer, passionate about amazing technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, hybrid working, and a competitive pension scheme.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusion and personal development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customers and the planet while developing your career in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Extensive buying experience, strong negotiation skills, and excellent analytical abilities required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
At Currys we’re united by one passion: to help everyone enjoy amazing technology. As the UK’s best-known retailer of tech, we’re proud of the service our customers receive – and it’s all down to our team of 25,000 caring and committed colleagues. Working as one team, we learn and grow together, celebrating the big and small moments that make every day amazing.
Positioned within the Appliances commercial team, you will be right in the centre of a fast-paced team, working hand in hand with the go to market team, building strong relationships with our supplier partners. As a Senior category buyer for Laundry, you need to have extensive buying and management experience as you will be responsible for high turnover, complex categories leading a team of direct reports.
You will be responsible for setting the category strategy and selecting and negotiating product ranges to meet customer needs and company KPIs. You will negotiate annual supplier terms, and investments in our business and its activity. You are accountable for ensuring cost pricing allows us to remain competitive for customers while maximising EBIT return and securing differentiation against competitors.
You will need to have great relationship building skills, working closely with our supplier partners, the go to market team, Planning and Far East Sourcing team and use your influencing skills to secure support to drive the business forward. Commercial acumen is a must as you will be required to support our analysis of trading performance, providing recommendations of actions to drive our business.
Our ideal candidate will be organised and self-motivated in order to prioritise their work whilst having strong attention to detail to ensure everything is right first time.
As part of this role, you'll be responsible for:
- Managing all category supplier relationships in line with our overall commercial supplier strategy and the category strategy
- Building credible relationships with our suppliers and developing a sourcing strategy to both bring customers the best ranges, supported with availability but also to minimise our NET cost of goods
- Working with suppliers to develop a strong understanding of the future technology roadmap, enabling the category to adequately plan ahead for likely changes in customer trends and demand
- Negotiating product ranges – cost pricing, additional terms, exclusivity, distribution, stock availability
- Negotiating additional fixed and variable financial terms related to ranging, activity and performance – maximising EBIT across the category
- Negotiating promotional funding support to drive sales while maintaining margin in line with financial objectives
- Securing adequate product and promotional differentiation from competitors to support market share growth objectives
- Pricing the product range in line with agreed category CPI targets
- Working with merchandising to ensure that we are forecasting at the right level to maximise sales and stock turn
- Working with the head of merchandising and central finance teams, ensuring the claiming and tracking of income against trading account targets, ensuring all due supplier funding is claimed on time in line with contractual obligations
- Providing regular reviews of team members’ objectives, priorities and performance via Personal Development Review and one to ones, supporting their professional and personal development, ensuring that the right talent plans are in place to support the talent pipeline for the business
You will need:
- Substantial buying experience working within a FMCG/Fashion or Hard Goods fast paced retailer
- Strong negotiation skills and ability to manage all supplier partnerships at differing levels of seniority
- Good judgment and strong decision-making skills to enable the right actions for the category
- Excellent numerical and analytical skills to review data and provide recommendations/actions plans to drive sales, profit and cash
- Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, capable of presenting to senior stakeholders as well as working cross functionally to achieve the desired results
- Customer champion with excellent commercial awareness and understanding of customer needs
- Good working knowledge of SharePoint, Teams, Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Experience working with Claude is an advantage
- Management/leadership experience of more than 1 direct report
We know our people are the secret to our success. That's why we're always looking for ways to reward great work. You'll find a host of benefits designed to work for you, including:
- Holiday benefits - 25 days of annual leave (plus bank holiday entitlement)
- Private medical insurance
- Life Assurance
- Competitive pension scheme
- Access to discretionary bonus
- Hybrid working; our primary Currys Campus is at Waterloo (WeWork)
Join our team and we'll be with you every step of the way, helping you develop the career you want with new opportunities, on-going training and skills for life.
Not only can you shape your own future, but you can help take charge of ours too. As the biggest recycler and repairer of tech in the UK, we’re in a position to make a real impact on people and the planet.
Every voice has a space at our table and we're committed to making inclusion and diversity part of everything we do, including how we strengthen our workforce. We want to make sure you have a fair opportunity to show us your talents during our application process, so if you need any additional assistance with your application please email careers@currys.co.uk and we'll do our best to help.
Currys Career Opportunities: Senior Buyer (Laundry/Dishwashers) employer: Currys
At Currys, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters collaboration and personal growth. Located in the heart of London at our Waterloo Campus, we provide our employees with competitive benefits, including generous holiday allowances, private medical insurance, and opportunities for hybrid working. Join us to not only advance your career in a dynamic retail environment but also to contribute to our mission of making a positive impact on technology and the planet.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Currys Career Opportunities: Senior Buyer (Laundry/Dishwashers)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Currys on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching Currys' latest products and trends in the laundry and dishwasher market. Show us you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate your passion for tech and how you can contribute to our team!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! As a Senior Buyer, you'll need to showcase your ability to negotiate effectively. Role-play with a friend or use online resources to sharpen those skills before the big day.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the Currys family.
We think you need these skills to ace Currys Career Opportunities: Senior Buyer (Laundry/Dishwashers)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Buyer role. Highlight your buying experience, negotiation skills, and any relevant achievements that align with the job description. 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 match what we're looking for. Don’t forget to mention your understanding of customer needs and commercial awareness.
Showcase Your Relationship-Building Skills:Since this role involves managing supplier relationships, make sure to include examples of how you've successfully built and maintained partnerships in the past. We love seeing strong interpersonal skills in action!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and keep track of it. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Currys
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Buyer, you'll need to demonstrate strong numerical and analytical skills. Brush up on key metrics related to buying and sales performance, and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in your previous roles.
✨Master the Art of Negotiation
Negotiation is at the heart of this role. Prepare examples of successful negotiations you've led, focusing on outcomes that benefited both your company and suppliers. Show them you can secure the best deals while maintaining strong relationships.
✨Build Relationships Before the Interview
Since relationship building is crucial, try to connect with current or former employees on LinkedIn. This can give you insights into the company culture and help you understand what they value in a Senior Buyer.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
Be prepared to discuss your understanding of market trends and customer needs. Bring examples of how you've adapted strategies based on changing market conditions, and be ready to suggest innovative ideas for Currys' product ranges.
