At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive the fragrance and personal care category, building relationships with top brands.
- Company: Join Very, a digital retailer focused on helping families thrive.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous holiday, and a £1,000 benefits allowance.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive culture with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-growing beauty category with exciting brands.
- Qualifications: Experience as a Buyer in beauty, strong negotiation skills, and commercial acumen.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ 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
We're looking for a talented Buyer to join our Fragrance & Personal Care team on a permanent basis. Beauty is one of our most exciting and fast-growing categories, and this role offers the opportunity to work with some of the industry's biggest brands while shaping a category that continues to evolve and delight our customers. You'll join a collaborative, ambitious and highly engaged team that combines commercial excellence with a genuine passion for beauty.
About the role
This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a growing category within our Beauty division. You'll be responsible for delivering the category strategy, driving commercial performance and building strong relationships with both existing and new brand partners. Working across fragrance and personal care, you'll identify opportunities to grow market share, improve customer choice and maximise profitability. Success in this role will come from a combination of commercial thinking, market awareness and strong stakeholder management. You'll work closely with Merchandising, Marketing and other key business functions to bring the category strategy to life and deliver a market-leading customer experience.
- Partner with the Buying Manager and Merchandising team to develop and deliver category strategies, range plans, pricing architecture and promotional activity that drive sales and profit.
- Own category performance, analysing in-week and monthly trading data to identify opportunities, mitigate risks and make recommendations to senior stakeholders.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic brand partners, leading annual Joint Business Planning (JBP) discussions and negotiating the best possible commercial terms, funding opportunities and markdown support.
- Identify, onboard and develop new brands that complement our Beauty strategy and enhance our customer proposition.
- Collaborate closely with Marketing teams to deliver compelling brand campaigns, product launches and paid media activity that drive awareness and conversion.
- Monitor market trends, customer behaviours and competitor activity, using insights to influence category direction and unlock new growth opportunities.
- Lead, coach and develop team members, creating an environment where people can perform at their best and continue to grow their careers.
About you
We're looking for a commercially driven Buyer with strong Beauty category experience and a passion for delivering outstanding results. You'll bring:
- Previous experience operating at Buyer level within Beauty, ideally across fragrance, personal care or adjacent categories.
- Strong category knowledge and a deep understanding of the beauty market, customer trends and industry landscape.
- Proven ability to build and maintain successful supplier and brand relationships.
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with experience securing strong commercial outcomes.
- Strong commercial acumen and the ability to balance strategic thinking with day-to-day delivery.
- Confidence analysing performance data and turning insights into action.
- Experience leading, motivating and developing high-performing teams.
- A proactive, solutions-focused approach and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced trading environment.
- Energy, curiosity and a passion for identifying new opportunities that drive growth.
Some of our benefits
Flexible, hybrid working model
Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews
£1,000 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs
30 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%
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 - An informal 30-45 minute video call with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.
- 2nd Stage – A one-hour formal face-to-face interview where you can expect a task and both competency/technical skills based questions.
As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments. If you'd like to know more about our interviews, you can find out here.
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.
Buyer - Fragrance & Personal Care in Liverpool employer: The Very Group
At Very, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a flexible and inclusive work environment that empowers our employees to thrive. As a Buyer in the Fragrance & Personal Care team, you'll enjoy a wealth of benefits including a £1,000 flexible benefits allowance, 30 days holiday, and opportunities for professional growth within a dynamic and collaborative culture. Join us in making a meaningful impact for millions of customers while advancing your career in the exciting beauty sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Buyer - Fragrance & Personal Care 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 Buyer - Fragrance & Personal Care 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!
