At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the buying strategy for men's footwear and drive sustainable growth.
- Company: Join JD Sports, a leading retailer with a dynamic team culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy staff discounts, personal development opportunities, and a vibrant work environment.
- Other info: Collaborate with cross-functional teams and influence business direction.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced retail environment while shaping the future of men's footwear.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in retail buying and strong strategic thinking skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
JD Sports - Head Office, Warwick House, Bury, United Kingdom
Role Purpose
To set and lead the category buying strategy and deliver sustainable growth and profitability across a portfolio of categories/brands. The Head of Buying is accountable for strategic range direction, trading performance, team leadership, supplier strategy, and governance, ensuring the buying function delivers the right product at the right time, price and quantity across all channels.
Key Accountabilities
- Define and deliver the category/brand buying strategy aligned to the business plan.
- Own category vision, segmentation, range frameworks and multi-channel proposition (store, online, partner).
- Lead seasonal planning cycles, innovation roadmap, and long-term supplier strategy.
- Set trading cadence: weekly trade, forecasting, exception management, and in-season actions.
- Establish governance for range sign-off and risk controls.
- Build strategic supplier partnerships (joint business plans, exclusives, cost roadmaps, marketing investment).
- Lead major negotiations: long-term terms, rebates, funding, volume commitments, and strategic deals.
- Lead and develop a high-performing buying team (succession planning, capability frameworks, coaching).
- Set clear objectives and ways of working; role model strong decision making and accountability.
- Recruit, performance manage, and build a culture of pace, curiosity and customer obsession.
Cross-functional & Executive Stakeholder Management
- Partner with Merch/Planning leadership to own OTB strategy and inventory investment decisions.
- Align with Marketing, Creative, Digital, Retail Ops and Supply Chain to deliver go-to-market readiness.
- Present category performance, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership with clear recommendations.
- Own customer insight loops: trend research, competitor benchmarking, customer feedback, analytics.
- Final sign-off (or recommendation authority) on range frameworks and key supplier choices.
- Ownership of category investment decisions (OTB strategy) within agreed budgets.
- Approves pricing architecture principles and markdown strategy for category.
- Accountable for team structure and operating model within function.
Skills & Experience
- Significant leadership experience in buying/trading within retail or multi-channel.
- Proven track record delivering category growth, margin improvement, and inventory efficiency at scale.
- Strong strategic thinking paired with high operational trading cadence.
- Executive-level stakeholder management and ability to influence business direction.
- Strong people leadership: building teams, developing capability, managing performance.
- Experience leading multi-category portfolios or complex branded environments.
- International sourcing/negotiation exposure and strategic supplier management.
- Experience operating in high-volume, fast-paced retail with short lead times.
Additional Leadership Qualities
- Vision and strategic clarity
- Commercial leadership and risk discipline
- Inspiring people leadership
- High-impact communication (exec storytelling)
- Collaborative leadership across functions
- Customer obsession and trend awareness
We know our colleagues work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits including staff Discount On JD Group and other brands within the organisation and personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work.
Head of Buying - Men's Footwear in Bury employer: JDSPORTS
JD Sports is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment at our Head Office in Bury, where innovation and collaboration thrive. We prioritise employee growth through comprehensive personal development opportunities and foster a culture of curiosity and customer obsession, ensuring that our team members are equipped to lead and excel in their roles. With attractive benefits such as staff discounts across the JD Group and a commitment to strategic supplier partnerships, we empower our employees to drive sustainable growth and profitability in the fast-paced retail sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Buying - Men's Footwear in Bury
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its competitors. Show us you know your stuff and can bring fresh ideas to the table!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the role. We want to hear how you can drive category growth and lead a high-performing team.
✨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, we love seeing candidates who are keen to join us!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Buying - Men's Footwear in Bury
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Head of Buying role. Highlight your leadership experience in buying/trading and any relevant achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive category growth.
Showcase Your Strategic Thinking:In your application, emphasise your strategic thinking abilities. Discuss how you've previously defined and delivered category strategies, and how you can bring that expertise to JD Sports. We want to see your vision for the role!
Highlight Team Leadership Skills:Don’t forget to mention your experience in leading high-performing teams. Share examples of how you've developed team capabilities and managed performance, as this is crucial for the Head of Buying position.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining the JD Sports family!
How to prepare for a job interview at JDSPORTS
✨Know Your Numbers
As the Head of Buying, you'll need to demonstrate a strong grasp of category performance metrics. Brush up on key figures related to sales, margins, and inventory efficiency. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
Prepare to articulate your vision for the buying strategy. Think about how you would align it with JD Sports' business plan. Bring examples of past strategies you've implemented that led to growth and profitability, and be ready to discuss how you'd adapt them for this role.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong people leadership. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've built and developed high-performing teams. Discuss your approach to coaching and performance management, and how you foster a culture of curiosity and customer obsession.
✨Master the Art of Negotiation
Negotiation is key in this position. Prepare to discuss your experience with supplier negotiations, including long-term terms and strategic deals. Highlight successful outcomes from past negotiations and your approach to building strategic partnerships.
