Buyer, Women\'s Knitwear in City of London

Buyer

Department: Womenswear

Employment Type: Permanent – Full Time

Location: Head Office, Chelsea House

Reporting To: Lizzie Scott

Description

The Buying team at River Island play a key role in realising the commercial opportunities created by our unique designs across all of our channels. This is achieved through effective range planning, awareness of key commercial data and customer trends, excellent supplier relations and internal networks, and execution of the Buying Strategy to deliver sales and profit plans. The Buyer leads the sourcing strategy and range plan for their department, optimising use of supplier base, and fabrication and production choices to deliver commercial results. Working collaboratively with Merchandising, Design and Technical teams, the Buyer delivers product aligned to the River Island brand and customer. In addition, the Buyer contributes broad market and industry awareness to grow market share and margin, and to contribute to our Sustainability commitments.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a commercial, well-balanced range across all channels by collaborating with Design and Merchandising, aligned to department strategy.
• Use customer, market, competitor, and channel insight to identify opportunities and propose initiatives that drive sales and margin.
• Analyse sales and margin performance with Merchandising to recommend changes to financial plans, OTB, and stock management.
• Manage trading performance, reacting swiftly to risks and opportunities to maximise results.
• Plan top cash lines and option counts by range and store grade in partnership with Merchandising.
• Identify margin growth opportunities through sourcing methods, product components, and supplier efficiencies, ensuring compliance with product and ethical standards.
• Maintain strong supplier relationships to secure on-time development, best commercial terms, and ethical practices.
• Lead cost-effective, sustainable sourcing strategies that align with commercial and environmental goals.
• Support Technical team in fit sessions to uphold product quality and fit standards.
• Manage the Critical Path and development process to ensure timely product delivery, engaging key functions at the right stages.
• Identify and maximise wholesale and commercial opportunities.
• Build strong internal and external networks, sharing supplier, fabric, and trade insights to identify commercial and future growth opportunities.
• Develop team talent through coaching, feedback, and stretch opportunities to support career growth.
• Lead and manage the team with clear direction, ensuring alignment to goals and fostering a high-performance culture.

Skills

• Previous experience as a Buyer or established Junior Buyer, ideally within an omni-channel business.
• Proven track record of delivering and exceeding sales and margin targets and identifying new product opportunities.
• Strong supplier and industry network, with excellent negotiation skills.
• Highly commercial, with strong analytical, verbal, numerical, and presentation skills.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively.
• Skilled in coaching, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams; able to drive individual and team engagement.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Results-oriented, disciplined, tenacious, and adaptable to change.
• Forward-thinking, innovative, and a proactive change advocate with a continuous learning mindset.
• Passionate about the RI brand and customer.

About Us

We’re a much-loved brand with an exciting future. Our Islanders are a diverse bunch of bright, talented people who love working together – and are proud of the work they do. Progression here can take you in all kinds of directions. This is what a career at River Island is like. And this is where yours starts.

This role is based at our Head Office in West London.

What we can offer you:

• 💰 Generous 50% staff discount so you can treat yourself to the latest products, and a bargain staff shop on site!
• 🛒 Reducing Islanders everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more through Reward Gateway!
• 🎉 A free onsite gym, subsidised restaurant & café to fill you needs. Various social events to socialise throughout the year.
• 🤎 Every family is unique, we support Islanders with all different family setups enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption & fertility treatment. We also work closely with the Retail Trust to create dedicated support for all our Islanders!
• 💻 Flexible working is a given, on top of payday and summer early finish Fridays.
• 💕 Give as you earn scheme, a ‘Giver Island’ day each year and receive matched funding.
• 🎓 Support with upskilling through on the job training and qualifications. A succession plan if you want to progress.
• 💰 A generous bonus scheme & private pension plan.
• 🩺 The choice to opt in for healthcare through our provider AXA.
• 🚗 An allowance supporting your commute to work.
• ☀️ 25 days paid holiday, exclusive of Bank Holidays. With the added option to purchase additional holiday twice a year for whatever the need!

Keeping You Safe

At River Island we are committed to the safeguarding of all of our employees regardless of age or job role. We will fulfil our obligation under the Prevent duty which seeks to stop extremism and extremist views from materialising in our business. We promote and encourage the belief in British Values- including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. To find out more, please visit www.gov.uk.

Our Island is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise. To find out more about this interview process, check out our hiring process below.