At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic Buying team and drive the success of K-Beauty products.
- Company: A leading UK retailer specialising in Korean beauty and skincare.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and a vibrant work culture.
- Other info: Passion for beauty and collaboration is key to success here.
- Why this job: Join a fast-paced environment and shape the future of beauty retail.
- Qualifications: 4+ years in Buying or Category Management with strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 54450 - 66550 £ per year.
A leading UK retailer specialising in Korean beauty and skincare, offering a curated range of over 2,000 products across skincare, makeup, haircare, and body care through both ecommerce and physical stores.
Since launching in 2019, the company has become a trusted destination for K-Beauty customers across the UK, supported by thousands of 5-star customer reviews and a rapidly expanding retail presence.
The Buying Manager will lead the Buying team and oversee the full product lifecycle across multiple categories, ensuring all activity supports the wider commercial strategy.
The role involves managing key supplier relationships, overseeing onboarding and launch processes, and driving the commercial performance of both established and emerging brands within the UK market.
This opportunity suits someone with strong leadership skills, commercial awareness, and experience working in fast-moving retail environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Buyers across different experience levels, ensuring clear direction, strong execution, and continuous development.
- Work closely with Merchandising and wider business teams to support category planning and deliver commercially effective product strategies aligned with customer demand and business objectives.
- Manage supplier partnerships and lead commercial negotiations, including margins, funding agreements, and long-term partnership terms.
- Oversee contract reviews and renewals, ensuring agreements meet operational and commercial requirements while maintaining strong supplier relationships.
- Analyse sales, margin, stock flow, and promotional performance to identify opportunities and risks, using data to support commercial discussions with brands.
- Manage stock flow and supplier lead times, ensuring timely deliveries and resolving any supply chain issues that may impact product availability.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Retail Operations to ensure successful launches, promotions, and stock planning across all channels.
- Maintain accurate launch timelines and critical paths, ensuring all stages of onboarding, labelling, compliance, and product readiness are completed on schedule.
- Support suppliers with UK labelling and compliance requirements, ensuring all products meet regulations before launch.
- Take ownership of priority and exclusive brand accounts, ensuring they receive strong commercial focus and strategic support.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with international brand teams, providing regular updates on performance, opportunities, and market growth.
- Produce weekly and monthly reports for senior leadership, highlighting performance trends, opportunities, and recommendations.
- What We’re Looking For
- At least 4 years’ experience in Buying or Category Management within beauty, skincare, wellness, or fast-paced consumer retail.
- Proven experience leading and developing buying teams.
- Strong commercial awareness with a track record of driving sales and profitability.
- Experience managing supplier negotiations, commercial terms, and long-term partnerships.
- Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel capability and confidence interpreting sales and performance data.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
- Passion for beauty, skincare, and evolving consumer trends.
- Experience working with international suppliers is advantageous.
- Korean language skills are beneficial but not essential.
- Collaborative and relationship-focused approach to working with brands and partners.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Senior Buying Manager - Beauty & K-Beauty (UK) in London employer: Lime Talent
Join a dynamic and innovative food brand that prioritises creativity and quality in redefining consumer food experiences. With a strong commitment to employee development, we offer a collaborative work culture where your ideas can flourish, alongside competitive benefits and opportunities for career advancement. Located in a vibrant area, our team thrives on passion and dedication, making it an exciting place to contribute to meaningful product innovations.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Buying Manager - Beauty & K-Beauty (UK) in London
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like Lime Talent, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like Lime Talent!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Buying Manager - Beauty & K-Beauty (UK) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at Lime Talent, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at Lime Talent and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show Lime Talent that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lime Talent
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
