Buyers Assistant - Home

Job Introduction

Are you looking for a Buyers Assistant role that gives you the chance to provide customers with the latest brands and trends within our Home department? Looking for a company that wants to help further your career in Buying, as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work?

If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re just the kind of person we’re looking for!

Role Responsibility

As a Buyers Assistant, you will be responsible for an identified buying area for the business. You will support the Buyer in sourcing brands and product. You will  work with the Buyer to negotiate the best terms for the business with suppliers. To ensure the ordering process is efficient and compliant with Selfridges processes and to assist the Admin team, as well as other parties including suppliers and shop floor teams where necessary.

As a Buyers Assistant you will:

• Liaise with suppliers regarding product availability, in particular for re-orders and to ensure that these are placed within OTBs
• Be responsible for chasing stock that has not been delivered according to the delivery schedule
• Carry out research for Buyers, including Comp Shops, regarding new brands/trends, and present back and feedback research information to Buying teams
• Put together product packs for the Buyers and for communication to the rest of the business
• To work with the Buying Administrators to ensure that the Buyers worksheet is up to date and to provide assistance where information is incomplete
• To supervise the Buyers Administrator and monitor workload
• To be responsible for re-ordering within the OTB structure, ensuring decisions are communicated to the Administrator in good time *
• To chase press samples and images * N/B: in areas where there is a Buying Assistants and an Assistant Buyer, this responsibility will be shared
• Negotiate the best possible terms with suppliers i.e. margin, trade discounts, markdown support, working with the Buyer where appropriate
• To analyse performance, making recommendations to the Buyer/Head of Buying i.e. to keep or discontinue within the business, in line with our category strategy
• Communicate effectively with retail/online operations teams, particularly with regard to new season launches and product training
• Propose trading actions such as swaps, re-orders RTVs working within the seasonal buy, ensuring decisions are communicated to the administrator and buyer in good time.
• Be responsible for re-ordering, working within the seasonal buy, ensuring decisions are communicated to the Administrator good time *
• Carry out research into key existing and emerging trends by analysing market trends
• Where relevant, to supervise the Administrator and monitor workload
• Support the buyer to achieve key KPI’s, i.e Margins, sales plan, as well as Project Earth targets

* N/B: in areas where there is a Buyer’s Assistant and an Assistant Buyer, this responsibility will be shared

The Ideal Candidate

• Highly knowledgeable. You will have a well-developed understanding of the product/market
• Knowledgeable of key existing and emerging trends within the home category
• Engaging. Able to influence your stakeholders, retail and brands, you know how to use both data and market trends to drive commercial opportunities ​
• Customer focused. Combined with exceptional taste and instinct, you are able to push the boundaries to offer new and exciting product​
• All over the numbers. You are numerate with a highly commercial approach, as well as proficient in excel​
• Collaborative. Working flexibly as part of the wider Buying team you will support in projects and cross functional meetings as appropriate
• Organised with attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to influence​
• An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague

About the Company

Our Creative Spirit 

We are more than a shop. We are a social space where culture and commerce collide to release an energy that we call the Selfridges spirit. We are here to make our world brighter, and everyone is welcome. 

Our Awards Cabinet 

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign.  

Our Future 

Since 1909 we have been at the forefront of retail and today our stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham – alongside selfridges.com and the Selfridges App – continue to redefine the way we shop and socialise. As a Selfridges team member, you will learn what it takes to consistently drive innovation, success and amazing customer experiences. 

Everyone is welcome

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive working culture, and we see this as key to our success and our working culture. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome - irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all. We are diverse, we are inclusive, we are Selfridges.

The Fun Stuff  

There are lots of reasons to be excited about joining Team Selfridges – from our fantastic team member communities to volunteer days and behind-the-scenes Selfridges experiences throughout the year. 

Other benefits and rewards include:

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme 
• Discounted gym memberships 
• Pension contributions  
• Annual travel pass and cycle to work schemes 
• A volunteer day for all team members 
• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development

Selfridges