About the role

At a glance:

• Salary band: £32,600.00 - 50,500.00 per annum 

• Salary up to: £40,000 per annum based on skill and experience

• Contract type: This is a permanent position 

• Hours and location of the role:

  • 35 hours per week

  • Your home location will be our London Pimlico Head Office

  • The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The expectation is a minimum of 3 days per week in the office as team collaboration is critical in this role - core days will vary across teams

Key responsibilities:

• Act in accordance with the Partnership’s purpose and democratic principles, constructively participating in co-ownership, and demonstrating to customers and each other that it is a better way of doing business. Share your knowledge, experiences, ideas and opinion to improve the Partnership, speaking honestly and frequently

• Invest in your personal and professional development to achieve your potential, by doing more, doing 

• better, or doing different. Continuously engage with and actively contribute to your Profession

• You will work at pace and agility within a collaborative environment with your Buyer L6, Category Lead L5, Head of Beauty, Trade Planning, Trading & Product Operations team. Externally you will hold a strong relationship with your suppliers and Brands

• With guidance from your Buyer L6 you will be accountable for making all decisions on the product assortment brand positioning, price structure and margins. These will be in line with category and customer strategy. In collaboration with merchandising, you will need to make season trading and volume decisions along with the commercial terms and product lifecycle with the supplier and Brands

• You will be accountable for the commercial success of a product range as defined and agreed with your, Buyer L6 and the commercial and customer success of a product range through range planning and agile in-season trading

• You will ensure you have up to date expert market knowledge for the category and can predict future market dynamics

• You will be accountable for building and maintaining strong supplier relationships, ensuring that they adhere to the required standards and agreed terms

• You will be expected to task manage, coach and provide feedback to your team's Buying Assistant/s

You will complete the following tasks: 

• Responsible for all commercial negotiations inclusive of marketing funds (Media Sales team responsible for implementation & briefing (on-site + agencies)) 

• Reviewing and securing retail terms agreements to drive sales and profit

• Create joint business plans with the suppliers which align with overarching category strategy and customer expectations

• Support the Buyer L6 in building a category strategy

• Develop and buy market leading branded ranges managing product lifecycle from launch to exit of product ranges. Identifying new brands to onboard for our customers

• Oversee Buying Assistant’s management of the Standardised Range Plan in line with critical path to hand over to Central Operations Team

• Propose Balance To Achieve across commercial KPIs for the assortment each month in collaboration with the Merchandiser

• Work with the Merchandisers in your team to ensure Buying office negotiated rebates targets are achieved

• Work with and comply with all critical path requirements as necessary

• Support projects as required to support category customer experience

• Manage relationships with central teams to support outcomes

• Analysing market data and competitor activity

The successful candidate will hold the following skills:

Showing Innovation: Explores possibilities with enthusiasm and acts on instinct to generate well formed ideas and understands how new concepts, theories and ideas fit in with future direction and business objectives. As a result of this develops new objectives and initiatives for the business

Relationship Building: Authentically and proactively interacts with everyone, building rapport and making a positive impression in order to collaborate and build lasting connections across the Partnership and beyond to other businesses and contacts. Once formed, understands how to navigate politics and the impact these have on the workplace in order to get things done

Commerciality: Demonstrates an innate passion for and understanding of Retail. This includes knowledge of our competitors and the wider social, political and economic factors which impact our business. Understands the Partnership business model and our integrated objectives and uses this understanding to make well informed decisions that support key business objectives

Customer Centric Mindset: Puts every customer, both internal and external, at the heart of everything, and understands the Partnership ambition to offer differentiated service that is aligned to our Values. Understands that they are empowered to deliver incredible service for every type of customer with whom they interact and acts on this every time in every environment

Influencing & Negotiation: Works collaboratively to achieve the optimum and mutual agreement for a way forward for all parties. Resolves professional differences along the way through active listening and appropriate assertive communication to reach a win-win outcome. Is prepared to adapt communication style to each situation and has the best interest of the Partnership at the forefront of all interactions

Essential skills and/or experience you’ll need: 

• Retail Industry Experience: A minimum of 12 months experience in the retail industry, with a focus on buying, category management, or product management within the designated category. Direct experience in buying practices, merchandising strategies, and supplier negotiation

• Negotiation Skills: Good negotiation skills and experience in leading strategic commercial negotiations with suppliers and vendors to secure favourable terms and agreements, maximising value and profitability for the category in your remit

• Communication Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate ideas, negotiate agreements, and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable skills and/or experience you may have: 

• Category specific knowledge or experience in Beauty

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About The Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.