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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the buying strategy for health and beauty, driving category growth and supplier partnerships.
- Company: Join a leading health and beauty retailer focused on innovation and customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, car allowance, private medical, pension, and product discounts.
- Why this job: Shape the future of retail in a dynamic environment with a focus on customer-first strategies.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior buying roles, strategic thinking, and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Flexible working with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.
The predicted salary is between 86000 - 115000 £ per year.
Job Description
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY – BUYING DIRECTOR (LEADING HEALTH & BEAUTY RETAILER)
Job Title: Buying Director, Europe
Reporting To: Director – Western Europe
Location: Slough or Weybridge
Salary: £100,000–£120,000 (depending on experience)
Package: Car Allowance, Private Medical, Pension, Holiday Allowance, Product Discounts, Onsite Parking
Type: Full Time, Permanent (Hybrid: 3 office / 2 home)
We’re looking for a dynamic and commercially driven Buying Director to take ownership of our Health & Beauty buying strategy and performance. This is a high-impact leadership role with full accountability for shaping compelling customer propositions, building supplier strategies, and accelerating category growth.
As a senior leader, you’ll set the strategic direction for our product mix – spanning own-label, brand partnerships and exclusive ranges – ensuring our offer is competitive, trend-led and customer-focused in a fast-moving retail landscape.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and deliver the long-term buying vision across health, beauty, wellness and personal care, aligned to business-wide goals
- Lead, inspire and grow a high-performing buying team, creating a culture of accountability, innovation and agility
- Build differentiated category plans using data, insights, and trends to drive performance
- Own supplier partnerships and sourcing strategies, unlocking growth, exclusivity and innovation opportunities
- Shape promotional and pricing frameworks that balance immediate trading wins with sustainable long-term value
- Collaborate across marketing, supply chain, digital and finance to ensure flawless execution across all channels
- Influence at board level, bringing commercial leadership to transformation and growth discussions
- Champion the customer – ensuring our ranges remain relevant, trend-led and aligned with evolving shopper needs
Required experience and background
- Proven leadership in a senior buying or trading role – ideally within Health, Beauty, FMCG or Retail
- Strategic mindset with the ability to balance vision with delivery, long-term growth with short-term results
- Strong supplier relationship and negotiation expertise, with experience driving large-scale joint business plans
- A track record of leading, developing and inspiring buying teams across multiple categories
- Highly analytical and confident using data to inform decisions and shape strategy
- Strong understanding of customer behaviour, category drivers and the competitive retail landscape
- A collaborative, influential leader, comfortable operating at senior executive level
This is a rare chance to shape the future of health and beauty retail during an exciting period of momentum and innovation. If you’re a strategic, commercially-minded leader ready to make a big impact – we’d love to hear from you.
Apply today or reach out directly: tom.richards@harbourneassociates.com
Buying Director employer: Harbourne Associates
Contact Detail:
Harbourne Associates Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Buying Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the health and beauty retail sector. Attend industry events, webinars, or local meetups to connect with potential colleagues or mentors who can provide insights into the role and company culture.
✨Tip Number 2
Research the latest trends in health and beauty retail. Familiarise yourself with current market dynamics, consumer preferences, and innovative product offerings to demonstrate your knowledge during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your strategic vision for the buying function. Think about how you would approach supplier management, category growth, and customer engagement, as these are key aspects of the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership style and experience in managing high-performing teams. Be ready to share examples of how you've fostered a culture of accountability and strategic thinking in previous roles.
We think you need these skills to ace Buying Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in senior buying roles, particularly within health, beauty, FMCG, or retail. Use specific examples that demonstrate your strategic thinking and leadership skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your understanding of the health and beauty market. Discuss how your experience aligns with the company's goals and how you can contribute to their buying strategy.
Highlight Key Achievements: In both your CV and cover letter, emphasise key achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead high-performing teams and drive category growth. Use metrics where possible to quantify your success.
Showcase Analytical Skills: Given the importance of data in this role, include examples of how you've used data to inform strategic decisions in previous positions. This will show your analytical mindset and ability to shape decision-making.
How to prepare for a job interview at Harbourne Associates
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
As a Buying Director, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to set and execute a long-term buying strategy. Prepare examples of how you've successfully translated vision into actionable plans in previous roles, particularly in the health and beauty sectors.
✨Highlight Supplier Management Skills
Be ready to discuss your experience with supplier negotiations and relationship management. Share specific instances where you've developed long-term partnerships that led to margin growth or innovation, as this will be key for the role.
✨Demonstrate Analytical Acumen
Prepare to showcase your analytical skills by discussing how you've used data to inform strategic decisions. Bring examples of how you've leveraged customer insights and market trends to drive category performance.
✨Emphasise Leadership Experience
This role requires leading a high-performing team, so be prepared to talk about your leadership style. Share experiences where you've fostered a culture of accountability and strategic thinking within your teams, especially in a multi-category environment.
