Buyer in Manchester

We’re looking for a Senior Buyer to join our Lingerie Team. The Senior Buyer is responsible for planning, sourcing, developing and selecting a commercial and successful range, using expertise to understand customer wants and needs and create a strong multi‑channel offering. The role balances budgets and margin requirements, delivering a range that meets and exceeds customer expectations while maximizing profits and revenue.

Responsibilities

• Lead the buying process for the Lingerie category, delivering a customer‑focused, commercially balanced and trend‑led product range that reflects brand strategy and meets customer demand.
• Lead and implement innovative product category strategies and maximise performance & KPI’s across multiple product areas, consistently identifying opportunity within the range.
• Constantly review competition to ensure our product proposition is in line with the market across all key areas: fashion trend, price, quality and availability.
• Demonstrate a strong passion for product and drive category performance as a product expert within Lingerie, proactively identifying emerging trends and working closely with Design to interpret these into ranges that feel right to the customer, ensuring alignment across silhouette, fabrication, colour, styling and price point.
• Manage a team ranging from BAAs to Buyers, Junior Buyers and lead the category, following emerging market trends and guiding the team in interpreting these trends for our customers, ensuring we remain up‑to‑date and competitive.
• Work closely with Senior Merchandiser to drive department sales and strategy, taking ownership of category financial performance, monitoring sales, BIM, pricing architecture and profitability.
• Lead sign‑offs and strategy meetings, presenting product vision, trend direction, customer insight and commercial strategy with clear recommendations.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, lead supplier strategy for the department and review sourcing opportunities with a focus on product quality, fit and design integrity.
• Travel regularly within the UK and internationally to source product, strengthen supplier relationships and ensure development aligns with brand and customer expectations.
• Collaborate with Marketing, E‑commerce and Creative teams to shape product storytelling across all channels, contributing to campaign briefs, launches and photoshoots to ensure ranges are presented in the most compelling and customer‑relevant way.
• Support the Head of Buying on strategic projects and cross‑functional initiatives, acting as a key ambassador for the Buying function across the business.
• Drive department KPI’s, delivering margin and profit through strategic planning, responsive trading and smart decision making.
• Recruit, select and support team members and line‑manage by setting performance objectives, reviews and performance coaching, providing clear feedback in regular 1:1s and agreeing training and development plans accordingly.
• Accountable for the cost price, selling price which delivers the BIM.
• Accountable for the demand and NAM on the area.
• Accountable for the team’s development and performance on the segment.
• Fully understand and meet customer needs, increase customer 5‑star product reviews and drive the customer panel’s most preferred result.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience ideally from a leading retailer at Senior Buyer level.
• Experience in buying lingerie product.
• Creativity and the ability to recognise future trends.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Excellent commercial awareness.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills; experience managing multiple ranges, OTB and budgets.
• Excellent communication skills in all formats including presenting, and the ability to work closely with the merchandising team and cross‑functionally with stakeholders.
• Leadership qualities; ability to lead and motivate a team and influence others.
• Enthusiasm, determination and commitment to the role.
• Confident user of Microsoft Office (particularly Word, PowerPoint and Excel) and Outlook.

Key Stakeholders

• Design, merchandising, PI and sourcing teams.

Benefits

• Hybrid working (2‑3 days in the office at a minimum)
• 24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays)
• Annual bonus scheme
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave
• Company pension with up to 8 % N Brown contribution
• Mental health support internally and externally, including access to wellbeing champions and counselling services
• A range of financial wellbeing support
• Stream – a financial wellbeing tool that helps you track your pay, access earnings early and manage your money with confidence
• Colleague discount across all N Brown brands
• Onsite café with subsidised rates and local restaurant discounts
• Life assurance and private medical insurance
• Paid volunteer time – colleagues can take a full day paid to volunteer for a charity of their choice