At a Glance
- Tasks: Curate and manage innovative skincare brands while driving sales performance.
- Company: Join Space NK, a leading beauty destination with a vibrant community.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, growth opportunities, and a supportive work culture.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with a focus on collaboration and creativity.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of beauty trends and make an impact in the industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in buying, passion for beauty, and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 27000 - 33000 £ per year.
If you love beauty, you’re in the right place. As the ultimate curator of over 100 of the most in-demand, highly innovative and boundary-pushing beauty brands, we are the go-to destination for worldwide beauty discovery. Together through our neighbourhood stores, online presence and loyalty scheme, Space NK has built a flourishing community in which to discover beauty. The customer is at the heart of everything we do, and we will always endeavour to offer everything they need to help them explore, experiment, and enjoy our brands.
Role Overview
Working closely with the Senior Buyer, the objective of the Junior Buyer is to build, manage and report on the performance of the brand and product offer across Space NK stores and online for the allocated categories.
Key Accountabilities:
- Manage commercial performance of portfolio of brands and products with focus on enhancing performance of customer offer on an ongoing basis.
- Working with existing brands identify new trends and new products.
- Plan and launch new products with a view of maximizing performance of new launches.
- Manage performance of underperforming products and brands through communications internally and with brand partners.
- Communicate range changes and discontinuations to brands with a reasonable notice period.
- Identify and activate quick win commercial opportunities.
Build strong relationships with our brand partners:
- Maintain regular contact with brands and conduct regular performance meetings.
- Conduct Market Week planning meetings alongside the senior buyer.
- Develop long-term plans jointly with brands alongside the senior buyer.
Work collaboratively with other departments through strong communications and planning:
- Communicate key brand and product information with key departments across the business, such as Marketing, Merchandise Planning, Training, and E-Commerce.
- Create & maintain joint brand and product marketing plans with other departments, such as Marketing, PR and Events.
- Support business improvement and commercial opportunities across departments.
- Meet go to market deadlines required by other departments.
Accountable for the following KPIs:
- Category & Brand sales: Overall, YOY, vs Budget.
- Brand New Customer Targets: Overall, YOY, vs Budget.
- Newness contribution to sales.
- Exclusive product launches and contribution to sales.
- Range productivity - sales/store, sales/SKU, sales to space productivity.
- Stock position: by category and by brand including overstocks and discontinued inventory position.
- Category Intake Margin vs Budget.
- Incremental brand marketing spend vs Budget.
Skills and Experience Required:
- Previous experience at Junior or Assistant Buyer level.
- Passion for beauty industry, brands and products.
- Proactive, entrepreneurial, self-starter who can identify opportunities and pursue them.
- Strong people skills with a focus and drive to build strong relationships both internally and externally.
- Strong commercial acumen and savvy; comfortable with numbers and analytics.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Power Point and Outlook).
- Willingness to learn and try new things and openness to change.
- Actively seeks feedback from others to develop.
Please note that only successful candidates will be contacted. All applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.
If you want to find out more about us, what it is like to work for us, all about our benefits, and our pledges on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, please visit our website. Space NK are an equal opportunities employer.
Junior Buyer - Skincare in London employer: Space NK
Space NK is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and inclusive work culture, where creativity and collaboration thrive. As a Buying Assistant, you'll have the opportunity to engage with innovative beauty brands while benefiting from comprehensive training and career development programmes tailored to enhance your skills. Located in a dynamic retail environment, we prioritise employee well-being and offer unique perks, making it a rewarding place to grow your career in the beauty industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Junior Buyer - Skincare 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 Space NK, 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 Space NK!
We think you need these skills to ace Junior Buyer - Skincare 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 Space NK, 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 Space NK 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 Space NK that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Space NK
✨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!
