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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our Buying team as a Buyer for Cookshop, planning and purchasing top products.
- Company: Be part of John Lewis, the UK's largest employee-owned business with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible working, and a supportive work-life balance.
- Why this job: Make an impact by curating exciting product ranges that resonate with customers.
- Qualifications: Experience in buying, strong negotiation skills, and a collaborative mindset are essential.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a dynamic and inclusive environment.
The predicted salary is between 54500 - 84100 £ per year.
Buyer – Cookshop
About The Role
We have a great opportunity to join our Buying team as the Buyer of Cookshop. You will be a highly motivated, experienced individual who uses your expert knowledge to plan and purchase the best ranges for our customers within the category. Your remit includes delivering agreed KPIs such as sales, profit, stock, margin, and achieving required customer metrics and hit rates. You will source an assortment of high‑strategic importance and complexity that optimises market trends and creates a competitive advantage. As an experienced negotiator you will independently manage brand supplier relationships and work closely with your Merchandiser to analyse commercial input and market data across all channels to develop an appealing category assortment for the John Lewis & Partners customer base.
Key Details
- Salary: £54,500.00 – £84,100.00 per annum (up to £65,000 depending on experience)
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Hybrid; minimum 3 days per week in the Pimlico Head Office and a minimum of 12 visits per year to John Lewis branches
- Location: Pimlico, Head Office, London, England
- Interview dates: week commencing 17th November
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate with Merchandiser, Category Lead, Buying Manager, Head of Buying, Trade Planning, Trading & Product Operations, Online and Marketing teams to drive pace and agility.
- Accountable for the commercial success of the product range, from range planning to agile in‑season trading.
- Maintain up‑to‑date market knowledge and anticipate future dynamics.
- Build and sustain strong supplier relationships, ensuring adherence to standards and agreed terms.
- Make decisions on product assortment, development, sourcing, brand positioning, price structure and margins in line with category and customer strategy.
- Deputise for the Buying Manager when appropriate.
- Manage and develop a team of three Buying Assistants within Cookshop.
Essential Skills / Experience
- Proven experience in buying.
- Experience dealing with large, global brands.
- Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
- Highly numerate with strong analytical capabilities.
- Commercial experience of trading in a fast‑paced, reactive environment.
- Cohesive collaborative approach across teams.
Desirable Skills / Experience
- Previous experience in cook and bakeware.
Important Points to Note
Some roles are subject to pre‑employment vetting, which may include DBS checks. Required vetting data will be provided during the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability, please contact us early. We support flexible working arrangements, including flexible or compressed hours, job sharing, or shorter hour contracts where possible. Flexible work arrangements should be discussed with the hiring manager.
About The Partnership
We’re the largest employee‑owned business in the UK, home of John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re driven by our purpose to build a happier world and focus relentlessly on retail excellence, innovation, adaptation and diversification.
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Buyer – Cookshop employer: John Lewis & Partners
Contact Detail:
John Lewis & Partners Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Buyer – Cookshop
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about letting people know you’re on the hunt for a Buyer role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their product ranges, and think about how your experience aligns with their needs. Practise common interview questions and be ready to showcase your negotiation skills and market knowledge.
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. It’s also a chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit for their Buying team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly can sometimes give you an edge. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Buyer – Cookshop
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Buying Expertise: Make sure to highlight your tangible experience in buying, especially with large/global brands. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Buyer for Cookshop, so don’t hold back on showcasing your negotiation prowess and analytical abilities!
Tailor Your Application: Take a moment to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements mentioned in the job description. We love seeing candidates who understand our needs and can demonstrate how they’ll contribute to our team’s success.
Be Collaborative: Since this role involves working closely with various teams, it’s important to convey your collaborative spirit. Share examples of how you’ve successfully worked with others in the past, whether it’s with suppliers or internal teams.
Apply Early!: We occasionally close vacancies early if we receive a high volume of applications, so don’t wait around! Head over to our website and submit your application as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at John Lewis & Partners
✨Know Your Market
Before the interview, dive deep into the current trends in the Cookshop category. Familiarise yourself with popular products, emerging brands, and customer preferences. This knowledge will not only impress your interviewers but also show that you're proactive and passionate about the role.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Prepare examples of past negotiations you've successfully handled. Be ready to discuss how you built relationships with suppliers and navigated challenges. This will demonstrate your ability to manage brand supplier relationships effectively, which is crucial for the Buyer position.
✨Collaborative Mindset
Since this role requires working closely with various teams, think of instances where you've successfully collaborated with others. Highlight your experience in cross-functional projects and how you contributed to achieving common goals. This will showcase your team spirit and adaptability.
✨Be Data-Driven
Brush up on your analytical skills and be prepared to discuss how you've used data to inform buying decisions in the past. Whether it's sales figures or market analysis, showing that you can leverage data to optimise product assortments will set you apart from other candidates.
