Senior Assistant Buyer

The Role

We are on the lookout for a Senior Assistant Buyer to support the Senior Buyer in delivering a commercially effective product range that meets customer needs and maximises sales and profitability. The role involves close management of critical timelines, applying strong commercial and strategic insight, and driving performance through informed decision-making. The successful candidate will take ownership of a specific category or area, while also supporting the Senior Buyer, deputising when required, and coaching and developing the Buying Assistant.

What You Will Be Doing

Commercial Awareness & Strategic Thinking

• Identify and analyse best and worst sellers to be presented in Monday trade meetings, feeding back key points to the Senior Buyer accordingly.
• Suggest opportunities to improve sales on poorer performing lines.
• Review and analyse sales at weekly and seasonal level by territory and channel to identify future opportunities and strategies.
• Complete supplier ratings and SWOT analysis to form supplier strategy.
• Present the range to the creative, photography and web teams, highlighting key selling features and marketing messages in order to best promote the product across all channels.

Market Awareness

• Conduct regular CT store visits and feed back to the team/ Senior Buyer.
• Conduct regular comp shop trips to maintain knowledge of the competitive market, and feed back relevant findings to the Senior Buyer.
• Make informed suggestions to support department growth and develop new product ideas.

Range Building & Product Development

• Develop a product area or sub-range, under the guidance of the Senior Buyer.
• Build the range through range framework sheet to create a balanced and commercial range for all territories and channels.
• Alongside the Senior Buyer & Designer, order, receipt, review and approve CADs, lab dips, knit-downs, handlooms, strike-offs and sample lengths according to critical dates.
• Prepare for, attend and present in all seasonal Range meetings to the senior leadership team.
• Review proto and photo samples with Senior Buyer, Designer and Technologist to agree all final product details.
• Communicate comments to suppliers, ensuring they receive amended design & tech packs.

Price Negotiations

• Set up negotiation sheets, obtaining all cost prices and negotiating to ensure target margin is achieved on specific category or area.

Technical Duties

• Attend new development risk assessment meetings and, alongside Design and Technical teams, agree styles for wearer trial and further testing.
• Ensure tech packs are correct and support the briefing of new developments to suppliers.
• Attend seasonal fit sessions, working with the Technologist, Designer & Senior Buyer to suggest improvements to product fit and finish.
• Attend fit sessions with Technologist, ensure timely approval is given of fit, sealer and shipment samples in accordance with critical dates.
• Ensure suppliers are updated, with correct specifications, in a timely manner.
• Analyse returns reports with the Technologist and communicate results to the Senior Buyer.

Critical Path Management

• Take full accountability for meeting all critical path dates.
• Collate and analyse all key trigger dates to form the department’s seasonal critical path, agreeing all deadlines with suppliers.
• Highlight any alerts to the Senior Buyer & Merchandiser.
• Oversee the BAA management of the critical path by supplier and department, solving problems efficiently and updating the Senior Buyer to prevent delays.

What We Are Looking For

• Experienced Assistant Buyer in a Retail business
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the buying and product cycles
• Ability to plan and prioritise workload
• Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills- the ability to initiate and build strong relationships within the team, across functions and with suppliers
• Commercial awareness of the market and competitors
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong understanding of the manufacturing processes, including garment and fabric make and finishing, and their implications on total lead times
• Strong numerical, analytical and interpretive skills
• A confident presenter, who can influence
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to identify potential risks or issues and suggest mitigations
• Able to effectively manage a direct report and delegate effectively
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft programmes

What You Can Expect From Us

• Competitive salary and excellent bonus scheme
• An entrepreneurial environment where you’ll be encouraged to try things and make changes to drive the business forward
• You’ll have access to Staff Discount from your 1st day, not just at CT but also from The White Company!
• Our hybrid working policy means we work from the office 3-4 days per week (14 days onsite across a 4 week period, and Monday's are our set days in the office)
• We are proud to go about our business in the right way and partner with many charities and sustainability partners - ‘giving something back’ is an important part of our ethos
• At HQ we are serious about having fun. Our Christmas and summer parties are the stuff of legend and our CT Social Team ensure there is always something exciting to get involved in)

Who We Are

Once upon a shirt, Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler (whilst studying Geography at Bristol University – we might add) had the notion that he could make a better shirt at better value than anyone else in the world! He believed that all men; no matter their shape or size, where they may be in the world or indeed their budget; should be able to own a Jermyn Street quality shirt. A proper shirt. A CT shirt. That was over 3 decades ago and whilst Charles Tyrwhitt (it rhymes with spirit by the way) is still famous for proper shirts, these days we are about so much more than collars and cuffs. Our purpose is to “make it easy for men to dress well”. We take care of a chap’s entire wardrobe, providing stylish solutions for every occasion. We make sure he gets what he wants, when and how he wants it. ‘I am Proud and Free to be me!’ When it comes to our people, we really do “Give a shirt”. Tyrwhitteers (our people) are a diverse, passionate and entrepreneurial bunch. We enjoy a fun, engaging and rewarding culture, where everyone is empowered by our 3 BE-liefs which are; “BE the BOSS”, “BE the CUSTOMER” and “BE the BEST”.