Buyer (Mat Cover) - Luxury Homeware/Lifestyle brand

Mode Search are exclusively partnering with a rapidly growing luxury lifestyle and homewares brand in their search for a Buyer / Merchandiser to join the business on a maternity cover contract of up to 12 months. This is a broad, hands-on position taking ownership of the buying process across retail, e-commerce and wholesale. Working directly with the Operations Director, the successful candidate will manage everything from range planning and product development through to supplier management, stock performance and commercial analysis. The business operates with a close-knit, entrepreneurial culture and is growing quickly, so they are looking for someone approachable, flexible and hard-working who is comfortable working at pace and getting involved across the wider business.

The Role

• Support the development of buying budgets, seasonal plans and overall buying strategy
• Manage buying budgets and monitor spend throughout the year
• Plan product ranges across continuity lines and new product development
• Manage the end-to-end buying process, including supplier meetings, price and terms negotiations, purchase orders and delivery schedules
• Monitor sales, stock levels and product performance, making recommendations around repeat buys, markdowns and exit strategies
• Analyse sell-through, margins, inventory and stock performance to support commercial decision-making
• Forecast future stock requirements, balancing availability with stock investment
• Manage supplier relationships, production timelines and deliveries, resolving issues where required
• Work cross-functionally with Retail, E-commerce, Marketing and Operations to support successful product launches
• Conduct market and competitor research, identifying new product and supplier opportunities
• Present product performance and commercial recommendations to the management team
• Maintain accurate product and SKU information within Brightpearl
• Attend UK and international trade fairs and supplier visits as required

Requirements

• Previous experience as a Buyer or Buyer / Merchandiser within luxury, premium or aspirational retail
• Candidates from fashion, homewares, lifestyle or other product-led luxury environments will be considered
• Strong product development experience with a genuine passion for sourcing and discovering new product
• Commercially strong with experience managing budgets, stock and product performance
• Excellent analytical skills and strong Excel capability
• Confident negotiating and building relationships with suppliers
• Comfortable working within a smaller, fast-growing business where the role requires a genuinely hands-on approach
• Approachable, adaptable and collaborative, with a positive can-do attitude
• Able to manage multiple priorities and work effectively within a fast-paced environment

Location: West London – 5 days in the office

Contract: Up to 12 months maternity cover

The initial appointment is a maternity cover contract of up to 12 months, with an immediate start preferred. The business is also open to considering a more senior-level profile where there could potentially be scope for a longer-term opportunity, with flexibility on salary for the right individual.