At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the buying cycle for books, spotting trends and collaborating with suppliers.
- Company: Join The Works, a vibrant company inspiring creativity and learning.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25% discount, flexible hours, and access to exclusive training.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on reading and creativity while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Proven buying experience and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid - 1-2 days at our Support Centre in Coleshill, Birmingham.
Why The Works?
We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. The Works literally means everything. Whatever your story or background, we’re all about unlocking imagination and making creativity accessible to everyone. Whether you’re engaging with customers on the frontline or supporting our colleagues behind the scenes, your impact can be profound and far-reaching. This is more than toys, books, and art supplies. This is about inspiring people to read, learn, create, and play.
Become a Books Buyer
As one of our dynamic Buyers, you’ll take charge of our books category, owning the entire buying cycle from start to finish. Playing a key role in our vibrant Commercial team, driving strategy, spotting new product trends, and building fantastic ranges. You’ll collaborate with suppliers, ensure ethical compliance, and react swiftly to sales trends to keep us ahead.
Your Mission:
- Strategy: Decide what should be in our range and why, identifying the best sources and driving a competitive edge in the market. Test and trial new ideas for future growth based on market data.
- NPD Briefing: Identify new product trends and work with creative teams to deliver unique products that keep us ahead of the competition.
- Selection: Build excellent product ranges, balancing private label and branded products, and manage product exits with a clear change plan.
- Critical Path Management: Review development trackers and flag any risks to ensure smooth progress.
- Trade: Articulate performance narratives, react to sales trends, and take action to maximise sales and minimise risk, including promotional activities and seasonal space management.
- Trackers and Analysis: Keep all trackers up to date and suggest actions based on findings.
- Supplier and QA collaboration: Ensure product specifications are met with ethical compliance.
- Negotiation: Negotiate trading terms and funding support with suppliers.
- Internal Communications: Collate and produce internal communications, presentations, and sign-off packs.
- Coaching and Development: Coach and develop junior team members, embodying what good looks like as a Buyer.
- Influencing Skills: Understand your impact on others and develop influencing skills accordingly.
- Leadership: Lead your product area with all internal stakeholders, guiding them through the full buying process and ensuring they have the information they need at each stage.
- Board Presentations: Present to Board members for their sign-off, consistently completing all required sign-off packs.
- Additional Responsibilities: Set budgets, engage in strategic sourcing, provide challenging feedback when necessary, and conduct store and web reviews, including working with a ‘buddy’ AM to understand operational issues.
Skills/Behaviours That Will Set You Apart:
- Leadership skills: To manage a Junior Buyer / Buying Assistant.
- Product Development: Sourcing experience across own label and brands/licenses.
- Attention to Detail: Forensic attention to detail to help us get things right the first time; passionate and able to analyse data.
- Colleague-Focused Approach: Prioritise making things easier for our colleagues, clearly explaining the why, how, what, and when.
- Influence and Challenge: Influence and constructively challenge when necessary to ensure we do the right thing.
- Initiative and Passionate: Use your initiative and have the energy and passion to make things happen; problem-solving and innovative thinking.
- Teamwork and Collaboration: Believe in the power of teamwork and collaboration as the best way to achieve results.
- Networking and Relationships: Understand the importance of networking and building strong relationships and stakeholder management.
- Negotiation Skills: Hone and flex style of approach.
- Self-Starter: Committed to driving your own development, emotionally resilient and calm under pressure.
- Microsoft Skills: Intermediate.
Our PERKS really are ‘The Works’:
- 25% Colleague Discount! - Plus, exclusive Double Discount days!
- MyWorks - Access exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more.
- Family Friendly Leave - Enjoy some time well spent with enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
- Holiday – 33 days including bank holidays.
- Holiday Purchase - Purchase an additional 5 days.
- Can-Do Academy - Grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development in areas that interest you.
- Stream - Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them – for when ‘life’ happens!
- Share Scheme - Unleash your inner Monopoly mogul and own a piece of The Works!
- 24/7 support for you and your family - Through our partnership with the Retail Trust who provide an Employee Assistance Programme and so much more!
- Healthcare Cash Plan – To support your everyday healthcare costs.
- And loads more! – Long Service Awards, pension, life assurance, Cycle to Work and optional charity giving.
Our Purpose: To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.
Our Values:
- We are Crafty | Smart with what we've got.
- We are Caring | Heart in every action.
- We are Can-do | Energy that gets it done.
We Listen. We Care.
Each year, we run an anonymous colleague engagement survey. This is so important for us to hear your feedback and suggestions. We want to know what’s going great, and what needs a couple of tweaks to help make The Works the best place you’ve ever worked! You’ll have the opportunity to help give us that direction.
Promoting Diversity, Inclusion, and Applying Reasonable Adjustments:
At The Works, we are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. Our roles are open to all, including under-represented groups such as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, carers & members of the LGBTQ+ community (including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans, non-binary, or use another term). We are open to discussions around working hours and flexible working. And, where possible, we'll try to support this. If you need reasonable adjustments for an interview you might attend with us, let us know in your application and we’ll be happy to help!
Books Buyer - 12 Month FTC Buying · Coleshill, Warwickshire employer: The Works Stores Ltd
The Works is an exceptional employer, recognised as the 10th Best Big Company to Work For in 2024, offering a vibrant work culture that inspires creativity and learning. With generous benefits including a 25% colleague discount, enhanced family leave, and access to the Can-Do Academy for professional development, employees are empowered to grow and thrive. Located in Coleshill, Birmingham, the hybrid working model fosters flexibility while ensuring meaningful engagement across teams, making it a truly rewarding place to work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Books Buyer - 12 Month FTC Buying · Coleshill, Warwickshire
✨Get Your Foot in the Door Early
In retail, many temporary roles pop up during peak seasons, like Christmas or summer sales. Keep an eye on the calendars for these spikes and start scouting for opportunities a bit in advance. We can even help you stay sharp on your search!
✨Utilise Local Connections
Visit local shops in person and chat with managers about potential temporary openings. Many retail positions are filled by word-of-mouth, so don’t underestimate the power of a good conversation while you grab a coffee or do your weekly shopping!
✨Show Off Your Availability
Retail managers love flexibility! Make sure to highlight your availability in a casual chat or when you apply through our website. The more open you are to work varied shifts, the more likely they are to bring you on board—especially for temporary gigs!
✨Be Ready for On-the-Spot Interviews
When you walk into a shop, be prepared for the possibility of an on-the-spot interview. Dress comfortably but smartly, have a few key points about your experience ready, and be enthusiastic. Remember, it’s all about making that positive first impression!
We think you need these skills to ace Books Buyer - 12 Month FTC Buying · Coleshill, Warwickshire
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any relevant experience you've got, whether it’s casual jobs or volunteer work. Employers want to see that you can interact well with customers, so think about any instances where you've gone the extra mile to help someone out.
Flexibility Is Your Best Friend:Since this is a temporary position, you should emphasise your flexibility in your application. Mention your availability clearly in your cover letter and CV—employers love knowing they can rely on you to work varied hours, especially during busy periods!
Keep It Short and Sweet:For temporary roles, we don’t need an essay! Keep your CV and cover letter concise, focusing on the most relevant experiences and skills. Highlight any specific retail achievements, like sales targets met or product knowledge that demonstrates your eagerness to dive straight in.
Tailor Your Application to The Works Stores Ltd:Don’t forget to personalise your application for The Works Stores Ltd! Take a look at their values and product range, and if you’ve had previous experience with similar brands, mention that. It shows you’re genuinely interested in the role and have a good understanding of what they do.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Works Stores Ltd
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
In retail, it's all about customer interaction, so be ready to share examples of how you've handled tough customer situations. We recommend thinking through a couple of scenarios before the interview where you went above and beyond to help a customer, as these can really make you stand out.
✨Brush Up on Product Knowledge
Temporary roles often have a steep learning curve because you'll need to pick up product knowledge fast. Take some time to familiarise yourself with the main products or services that The Works Stores Ltd offers, and if possible, try to understand their current promotions. It’ll give you the edge to engage customers effectively.
✨Flexibility is Key
Being in a temporary retail role means you may need to adapt quickly to different tasks or shifts. Be prepared to highlight your flexibility and willingness to take on varied responsibilities during the interview. Think of examples where you've had to juggle multiple tasks at once – that’ll show you're a great fit for the dynamic retail environment.
✨Demonstrate Team Spirit
Since retail roles often require collaboration, be ready to showcase your teamwork skills. Share experiences where you worked well with colleagues, especially in fast-paced situations. This will underline your ability to slot into the team at The Works Stores Ltd and contribute positively during your temporary stint.
