At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our Furniture team to develop stylish products and manage brand relationships.
- Company: Be part of Very, a digital retailer focused on helping families thrive.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, 27 days holiday, and a £250 benefits allowance.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with excellent career growth opportunities and support for all.
- Why this job: Gain hands-on experience in buying while making a real impact on customer satisfaction.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a knack for analysing market trends.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
About us
We’re the team behind digital retailer Very. Our purpose, helping families get more out of life, powers everything we do. And we want our people to get more out of life too! If you’re high-performing, ambitious and make the most of every opportunity, we want to hear from you. In return, you’ll enjoy heaps of flexibility, great perks and benefits, and the freedom to be yourself, keep learning and take your career wherever you want it to go. If you love making a difference, you’ll love making it sparkle for millions of Very customers.
About the team
The Furniture team develops over 2000 products a season under our own brand The Very Collection as well as working with some of the biggest brands in the industry such as Silentnight and Dusk to deliver our customer trend led, great quality and competitively priced furniture for their home. The category covers bedroom, living, dining, bathroom and office furniture and accounts for half of the Home category in terms of sales. Developing stylish product and driving quality to delight our customers is key. Now is a great time to join this fast-paced, energetic team as we start AW27 planning and product development as well as onboarding some exciting new brands.
About the role
We have two opportunities for Assistant Buyers on our Home team, sitting within the Furniture category:
1 x Assistant Buyer - Branded Furniture
1 x Assistant Buyer - Own Brand Furniture
You will get exposure to the full buying cycle, so they are great roles to expand your skills. Day to day you will be meeting and managing brand and supplier relationships, developing products and reviewing samples, developing commercial range-plans suited to our customer, producing and presenting reports at trade meetings on trends, forecasts and opportunities.
Key Responsibilities:
- Relationship management: both internally and externally will be important, building strong relationships to maximise commercial opportunities – Key relationships day to day email management with supply chain.
- Commercial awareness: Awareness of the market is key, keeping track of competitor activity, market trends and price positioning. Maintaining relationships with brands in line with our values.
- Able to deputise for the Buyer in key meetings.
- Able to delegate or take lead and make decisions under pressure.
- Formulating Range Frameworks/Brand Plans alongside merchandising functions.
About you
You will be highly organised with great communication skills. You know how to analyse performance and apply lessons learnt to future range building. You can pre-empt potential challenges that may impact team or trading and take steps to minimise them before they arise. You will build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Able to deputise for the Buyer in key meetings. Liaison with SMT and can clearly articulate category performance. Trading actions – identifying how to maximise best sellers and identifying worst sellers and minimising risk. Able to delegate/take the lead where required.
Some of our benefits:
- Flexible, hybrid working model.
- Inclusive culture and environment.
- £250 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs.
- 27 days holiday + bank holidays.
- LinkedIn learning access.
- Bonus potential (performance and business-related).
- Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk.
- Matched pension up to 6%.
- More benefits can be found on our career site.
How to apply
Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS, Right to Work checks and if a specific requirement of your role a DBS (criminal records) check. Should your application progress we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions.
What happens next?
Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely. You can expect a two stage interview process for this position:
1st stage - A one hour remote interview with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience + competency questions. This is also a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.
2nd stage - A one hour on-site interview, where you will present back some pre-work and answer our values-based questions.
As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.
Diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities
We’re building a culture of everyday inclusion, and welcome applications from anyone who believes they can do the job. We don’t discriminate based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you need reasonable adjustments to apply, interview, or perform a role, let us know via talentacquisition@theverygroup.com. We’ll be happy to support you. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer and have nine brilliant colleague networks - including DAWN (Disability Awareness at Very) and Think (Neurodiversity at Very) - that are helping us make Very an even more inclusive place to work.
Assistant Buyer - Furniture in Liverpool employer: The Very Group
The Very Group is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant city of Liverpool, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, you will have access to flexible working arrangements, a competitive bonus structure, and a range of additional benefits that enhance your overall well-being. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team where your contributions to knowledge management will make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Buyer - Furniture in Liverpool
✨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 The Very Group, 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 The Very Group!
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Buyer - Furniture in Liverpool
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 The Very Group, 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 The Very Group 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 The Very Group that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Very Group
✨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!
