Job Description

Position: Assistant Buyer

Reports to: Buyer

Location: Milwaukee, WI

Type: Non-exempt

Summary: The Assistant Buyer is responsible for aiding the Buyer in all aspects of product research, contract administration, purchasing product, vendor management, marketing coordination, pricing strategy, and life cycle management for all store locations by performing administrative and analytical duties and problem-solving. The assistant buyer may be assigned lower volume categories with full purchasing authority under the direction of the buyer.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

• Personally assist in developing a culture that understands, demonstrates, and is passionate about the vision, mission, and values of the organization.
• Assist in developing strategic category assortment plans for seasonal products integrating current market analysis, trends, and forecasts to achieve long-term sales and profitability objectives.
• Help buyer establish, monitor, maintain, and exceed predetermined metrics (product sell thru, inventory turn, carryover from season to season).
• Assist in multiple points of research that will grow the customer base by sourcing products that differentiate us from our competitors that appeal to a diverse customer base.
• Perform regular competitive analysis pre-market to stay ahead of the competition, improve forecasting, leverage expertise with supplier negotiations and attend trade shows where appropriate.
• Actively participate in the development of the seasonal product placement plan
• Execute adjustments to that plan during the season.
• Collaborate with support areas managing the creation, distribution, and effectiveness of advertising materials and programs.
• Assist in the consistent communication of merchandising strategies and product knowledge to all retail locations and distribution centers.
• Play a major role in reviewing category and store opportunities and generate recommendations regarding inventory investments and in-stock performance.
• Analyze sales trends and report all relevant information and findings in spreadsheets to buyer in order to help them identify opportunities to drop product, eliminate redundancy, or expand the offering based on the rate of sale.
• Assist in life cycle management of each product through timely response in adjusting to consumer/market demands, pricing strategies, and clearance strategies.
• Continually expand your knowledge of product categories to include: suppliers, new product offerings, market trends, environmental impacts, and competitive relationships.
• Foster professional and fair supplier relationships optimizing Stein’s position in all contract negotiations as it relates to terms of payment, advertising (co-op, in-store signage, visual aids), packaging, labeling, delivery, distribution, returns, and guarantees.
• Continually review business intelligence data to interpret product sales & gross profit performance and inventory management.
• Create, communicate and execute solutions for receiving discrepancies, defective merchandise, purchase order distribution, price adjustments, advertising requirements, inventory transfers, and inventory controls.
• Support store staff in the management of store inventories, customer inquiries, product knowledge, and merchandising questions.
• Perform regular competitive analysis pre-market to stay ahead of the competition, improve forecasting, leverage expertise with supplier negotiations and attend trade shows when appropriate.
• Visit retail locations to review product presentation, inventory/content levels, identify issues, and solicit suggestions and comments from store team and customers. Communicate findings and feedback to the buying team.
• Support pricing execution at the stores.
• Perform administrative functions to include but are not limited to data management in advertising, item creation, and management, regular pricing, promotional pricing and clearance pricing updates, purchase order entry and verification, and credit management.

Employment Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Horticulture preferred
• 2 years experience in a comparable role
• Requires proficiency in Microsoft Office, advanced knowledge of Excel
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and data management
• Strong problem-solving, research, and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects efficiently and meet deadlines
• Ability to work in a team environment as well as individually under minimal supervision.
• Highly effective communicator with the ability to build strong relationships with store personnel and vendors

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the associate is frequently required to sit and stand; reach with hands and arms; walk and talk or hear. The associate is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The associate must frequently lift and/or move up to 3 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.