The Buyer is an analytical fashion curator who propels Andrews’ vision forward with clear and effective task prioritization and allocation for themselves and across the Buying Team.

Buying - Strategy
• In collaboration with the Merchant, co-own the design and execution of the seasonal strategy,
ensuring oversight and completion for key activities such as:
o  Trend research according to industry best practices and undertake competitive benchmarking
against key competitors
o   Research of new brands, categories, and products according to the interests and needs of the
Andrews' clients
o Seasonal Post-Mortem / 360’s vendor, category and sub-category performance review
o Effective budget and Open to Buy budget management, whilst applying a balance of
commerciality and creativity
o Block Plan development, taking into consideration vendors, categories (classes and subclasses) based on previous sales (to include sales by colour and size) and forecasts.
• Identify points of intersection between legacy and digital buying processes for collaborative
development and implementation of improvements, solutions, and integrations. Ensuring change is clearly communicated to relevant stakeholders.

Buying – Operations

The following outlines highlights of essential activities:

Planning and Budget Management 
o Reviewing previous year’s performance against budget to set the merchandising direction and
establishing a merchandise mix in budget
o Analyse data and feedback to assess the day-to-day performance of physical and digital
business; driving and managing trading activity through the team to maximise opportunities
o Ensure provision of product performance reporting, while communicating opportunities and
potential risks to relevant departments on a consistent basis.

Management and Merchandise Mix
o Ensure Assortment Plan is balanced; factoring in the Essentials, Seasonal Trends – bringing
this together with the fashion element into the Assortment and Allocation Plan
o Ensure Vendor Matrix is continuously refined and strategy-aligned; making recommendations for the offboarding of underperforming vendors and the onboarding of brand-ambition vendors
o Build and maintain relationships with our vendors, proactively seeking out opportunities to
collaborate, continuously discuss performance, and handle any negotiations.

Product Activation:  
o Collaborate with bricks-and-mortar and ecommerce to ensure a consistent brand voice across the company-wide product assortment
o Ensure optimal representation of assortment is reflected digitally and in-store
o Ensure key evergreen and seasonal product and brand knowledge is effectively communicated
o Stay abreast of customer engagement and feedback in collaboration with the digital team and physical stores.

Competencies, Technical Skills and Knowledge

• 10 years’ experience in Buying, Assortment Strategy and Planning, physical and digital
merchandising; covering planning through to execution, with experience in but not exclusive to:

• Retail Math, Financial Planning and Budget Management (e.g., Budget, Open to Buy
budget)

• Strategy Development and Planning

• Vendor Management

• Analysis (e.g., trend forecasting, product research, brand matrix, consumer behaviour, competitive benchmarking)

• Inventory management (e.g., replenishment, stock level management)

• Brand and product launch management