Junior Buyer

Role Summary: To be responsible for planning, developing and buying a highly commercial, and balanced range.  The role includes negotiating cost prices which meet financial targets, and managing the supply base. This role includes managing a shared Buying Assistant.

This role is remotely based within the UK and clothing experience is required. We offer a competitive salary, with bonuses and benefits. You have the autonomy to develop and expand within the role.

Who is TAILORED ATHLETE?

Remember the feeling of a new pair of football boots? Your first tennis racket? Your favourite gym shorts? And how it made you feel like you were going to perform better than you ever have… That’s the feeling we replicate in EVERY one of our products here at TAILORED ATHLETE. As a team and a company we are here to unlock the full potential of Athletes to become the best version of themselves.

As our Junior Buyer you will be responsible for planning, developing and buying a highly commercial, and balanced range.  The role includes negotiating cost prices which meet financial targets, and managing the global supply base. This role also includes managing and developing the Buying Assistant.

If you want to be part of something that will challenge you professionally and personally, giving you the tools, support and creative freedom to do so, this role is for you.

The question left to answer is this - are you ready to be part of creating & launching the most exciting and impactful products ever experienced by the modern day athlete? If you hear yourself screaming a big YES, continue reading.

What's in it for you

We are your biggest fans in becoming the best version of ourselves and helping you lead a healthy life inside and outside of work. Here are the highlights of how we support you doing just this.

• Fully remote and flexible working schedule
• A competitive salary and employer pension contributions via a Salary Sacrifice scheme
• Regular team meet-ups including a Summer Party
• 25 days holiday, all UK Bank Holidays plus your birthday off (on us)!
• Support setting up your home workspace and a paid gym membership (up to £50 per month)

You’ll be supported by a fast growing, visionary, remotely working, diverse, and tight-knit team. Our core values are: honest and open, learning and growing, vision, and ‘we get things done’.

What you will be doing

• Keep up to date on trends through comparative shopping and research, whilst working closely with Design.
• Understand the Tailored Athlete customer, their needs and aspirations.
• Actively contribute into, and develop the Tailored Athlete product strategy, range framework and plan alongside Design and Merchandising.
• Monitor and support Design's product development from initial concept to product sign off. Work closely with the product team to ensure a commercial range is offered to the customer, in line with the critical path.
• Monitor, maintain and action a full competitor analysis and present ideas to the wider product team.
• Own and determine our product pricing, strategy and build clear price architecture frameworks through comparative shopping and research.
• Together with design, review samples from a design/buying perspective to ensure they meet brand requirements and desired quality.
• Take ownership and lead the product range builds, work closely with Design to ensure product is signed off and agreed, managing product mix parameters including price arch, colour balance and margin.
• Manage and negotiate cost prices to achieve margin targets whilst working within MOQ constraints. Display an awareness of market conditions that could impact profit.
• Re-negotiate core volume lines where needed, and drive cost saving initiatives, or ideas to become more cost efficient.
• Manage the product cost sheet and ensure all information is up to date and accurate at all times.
• Set up and manage the product range plan, ensuring all product information is up to date.
• Ensure all development / fit samples are delivered on time to critical path dates with the assistance of the Buying Assistant.
• Manage approval of samples, bulk fabrics, lab dips, and trims, and ensure the system is updated and stored correctly.
• Fully understand supplier lead times, and effectively manage the critical path with the team and suppliers, providing input and being accountable during weekly critical path reviews, whilst supporting the Buying Assistant with any sample updates / issues.
• With the support of the Buying Assistant, manage on time delivery of photo samples to marketing whilst managing day to day communications.
• Make a significant contribution to weekly trade and monthly open to buy decisions, including analysis and evaluation of sales.
• Trades in season effectively and quickly, and is aware of trigger dates to trade.
• Manage product name creation and colour naming with Design & Merch.
• Managing the booking of fit sessions, and producing and keeping the fit list up to date for the Garment Tech. Actively participating in the fit session with the wider product team and uploading photos of samples to OneDrive.
• Post fit session, sending out necessary OneDrive documents to suppliers to organise further fit samples if required. Ensuring there are clear next steps from all people involved.
• Build strong relationships with the product and wider team.
• Develop, build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers.
• Work alongside the Merchandiser to train, manage and develop the Buying Assistant, carrying out regular 121s, giving regular feedback and setting out clear, measurable targets.

Who you are

You might be a freelancer who is now looking for a more permanent role, or someone who is keen to dive into working at a startup.

• Preferably at least 2 years experience operating at Junior Buying level in Clothing - Menswear & cross category experience would be beneficial but not essential.
• Experience of full buying cycle from design presentation to product sign off.
• Can and has negotiated to margin targets using in depth garment costing knowledge.
• Abilities to interpret data, providing action and recommendations.
• Can formulate robust price architecture.
• Strong commercial understanding.
• Critical Path management experience.
• Capable with tech such as Google Sheets/Microsoft packages.
• A Self motivated individual with the ability to work under pressure and with the ambition to grow their buying career at Tailored Athlete.
• Creative, innovative and strong commercial skills
• Organised and methodical approach
• Strong attention to detail
• Communication and team player
• Adaptability
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Strong product development, and range planning experience.
• Proven track record of delivering results to target, and margin improvements.
• Experienced working closely with design, merchandising and a global supply base.
• Excellent attention to detail, & consistently exceeds results through the setting of high standards
• Great organisational skills, and a methodical approach.
• A self-starter who enjoys working in a fast paced environment and taking the initiative 

We ask for you to be within a reasonable distance from London, as that is where the team meets up.

You're encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. We are committed to creating a safe, diverse, inclusive, and empowering culture at TAILORED ATHLETE, free from discrimination. It is our responsibility to ensure employee wellbeing and diversity is celebrated, embraced and at the forefront of our culture.

If you have any questions or would like a casual conversation about the role, please email [email protected].