Head of Buying in England

MacGregor Black is partnering with a leading consumer retail business on the search for a Head of Buying.

The Head of Buying will be responsible for leading the overall buying strategy, supplier relationships and commercial performance across a broad product portfolio.

This is a senior leadership role, responsible for delivering profitable sales growth, competitive ranges and strong supplier partnerships, while leading and developing a high-performing buying team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop the buying function, creating a high-performance culture focused on commercial delivery, accountability and development.
• Develop and execute the overall buying strategy, aligned with the wider commercial objectives and growth plans of the business.
• Own annual buying and category plans, identifying opportunities to grow sales, improve profitability and strengthen the customer proposition.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, developing partnerships that deliver long-term commercial value.
• Lead commercial negotiations with key suppliers, securing competitive pricing, improved margins, promotional support and favourable trading terms.
• Use market trends, customer insight, competitor activity and trading data to identify new opportunities and commercial risks.
• Lead range reviews and product selection, ensuring the product proposition remains competitive, relevant and aligned with customer demand.
• Own pricing and promotional strategy, balancing customer competitiveness with commercial performance.
• Work closely with Merchandise Planning to ensure buying decisions are aligned with demand, stock and availability.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to improve availability, stock productivity and service levels.
• Monitor performance across sales, margin, pricing, promotions and inventory, taking proactive action to improve results.
• Identify opportunities for new products, supplier partnerships, exclusive ranges and own-brand development.
• Ensure promotional activity is commercially focused and delivers strong customer propositions and measurable returns.
• Work cross-functionally with Planning, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance and Operations to ensure buying strategies are effectively delivered.
• Provide commercial insight and recommendations to senior leadership, highlighting key opportunities, risks and performance.
• Represent the business with key suppliers and at relevant industry and trade events, maintaining strong market relationships.
• Lead strategic commercial projects that support the continued growth and development of the business.
• Continuously review and improve buying processes, supplier performance and ways of working to increase commercial effectiveness.

What We're Looking For:

• 10+ years' experience within buying, category management or commercial leadership, ideally within consumer retail.
• Proven experience of developing and executing buying and category strategies that deliver sales and profitability.
• Strong supplier management and negotiation experience, with the ability to build long-term strategic partnerships.
• Experience across range building, product selection, pricing, promotions and commercial planning.
• Strong commercial understanding of the relationship between sales, margin, stock, availability and customer proposition.
• Proven experience of leading, coaching and developing buying teams.
• Strong analytical capability, with the ability to use trading, market and customer data to support commercial decisions.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across Planning, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, Operations and senior leadership.
• Comfortable operating at both a strategic and hands-on level, with the credibility to engage with senior suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Experience within consumer durables, electricals, home, housewares or other consumer goods categories.

For more information, please contact Lewis Millican.