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- Tasks: Lead the buying strategy for health and beauty, driving category growth and team performance.
- 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 customer-first approach.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior buying roles, strategic thinking, and strong supplier management skills required.
- Other info: Flexible working with 3 days in the office and 2 days at home.
The predicted salary is between 86000 - 124000 £ per year.
Leadership Opportunity: Buying Director – Europe (Health & Beauty Retailer)Job Title: Buying Director, EuropeReporting To: Director – Western EuropeLocation: Slough or WeybridgeSalary: £100,000–£120,000 (DOE)Package: Car Allowance, Private Medical, Pension, Holiday Allowance, Product Discounts, Onsite ParkingType: Full Time, PermanentWorking Pattern: Hybrid (3 days office / 2 days home)About the Role We are looking for an ambitious, commercially-focused Buying Director to lead and drive our European health & beauty strategy. This is a high-impact leadership role with the opportunity to shape product direction, accelerate category growth, and strengthen supplier partnerships across multiple European markets.As a senior member of the leadership team, you will lead a high-performing buying function, delivering trend-led, commercially robust ranges across own-label, branded, and exclusive product lines. If you thrive in a fast-paced retail environment and enjoy shaping the future of a category, this role is for you.What You\’ll Do Define and execute a long-term European buying strategy for health, beauty, wellness, and personal care.Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing buying team.Use market insight, data, and trend analysis to deliver differentiated category plans that drive sales and margin.Build and manage strong supplier relationships, securing exclusivity, innovation, and scale across Europe.Shape promotional and pricing strategies that deliver both short-term performance and long-term growth.Collaborate across marketing, supply chain, digital, and finance to ensure seamless execution.Provide strategic commercial input at board level and support expansion and transformation initiatives.Champion the customer by ensuring ranges remain on-trend, relevant, and aligned with evolving needs.About You Senior-level experience in buying or trading within Cosmetics, Health & Beauty, FMCG, or RetailStrong strategic thinker with a proven track record of translating vision into commercial resultsExpert in supplier management, negotiation, and driving large-scale joint business plansExperience leading and developing multi-category teamsHighly analytical with strong commercial acumen and insight-led decision-makingDeep understanding of customer behaviour, category drivers, and competitive retail landscapesCollaborative, influential, and confident engaging at senior executive levelThis is a rare opportunity to shape the future of European health & beauty retail during an exciting period of growth and innovation. If you are a strategic, commercially minded leader ready to make a meaningful impact, we want to hear from you.Apply today or contact directly: tom.richards@harbourneassociates.com
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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 conferences to connect with key players and gain insights into current trends and challenges.
✨Tip Number 2
Research the company thoroughly. Understand their product offerings, market position, and recent developments. This knowledge will help you tailor your discussions and demonstrate your genuine interest during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your strategic vision for the buying role. Think about how you would approach category growth and supplier partnerships, and be ready to share specific examples from your past experience.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership style. Be prepared to discuss how you have developed high-performing teams in the past and how you plan to foster a culture of accountability and strategic thinking within the buying team.
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 key accountabilities listed in the job description and express your enthusiasm for the role.
Highlight Leadership Experience: Emphasise your ability to lead high-performing teams. Provide examples of how you've developed team culture, driven performance, and influenced cross-functional collaboration in previous roles.
Showcase Analytical Skills: Demonstrate your analytical mindset by including instances where you've used data to inform strategic decisions. This could involve category performance analysis or supplier management strategies that led to successful outcomes.
How to prepare for a job interview at Harbourne Associates
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
As a Buying Director, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to set and execute a long-term buying strategy. Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've translated vision into actionable plans in previous roles, particularly in the health and beauty sectors.
✨Highlight Supplier Management Skills
Exceptional supplier management is crucial for this role. Be ready to share your experiences in negotiating joint business plans and developing long-term partnerships that have led to margin growth and innovation.
✨Demonstrate Analytical Prowess
An analytical mindset is key for shaping strategic decisions. Bring data-driven examples to the table that illustrate how you've used customer insights and market trends to inform category plans and drive performance.
✨Emphasise Leadership Experience
This position requires leading high-performing teams. Prepare to discuss your leadership style, how you've fostered a culture of accountability and agility, and any successful outcomes from your team’s efforts in previous roles.
