Junior Buyer - 12 Month maternity cover

Contract - 12 Month Maternity Cover Contract

About the Role

As a Junior Buyer, you’ll work on a hybrid basis from our Support Office in Handforth (Cheshire), with a minimum of 3 days in the office.

You’ll have full responsibility for sales and margin (cash and %) targets for your category of responsibility as laid out in the Business Plan. You will take responsibility for negotiating and agreeing annual supplier trading terms as well as developing and implementing a customer facing range strategy that incorporates current market trends and differentiates Pets at Home from its competitors.

This is a challenging role, you’ll be working at pace and ensuring that all voices are listened to and considered. You’ll need to be able to balance the priorities of both your stakeholders and suppliers. But you’ll be working within a supportive team and will get a unique insight into how things work across functions.

Key Responsibilities

Achieve Business plan sales and margin targets (cash and %)

• Full accountability for the financial performance of the category vs. targets, sharing weekly and periodic updates on progress
• Working with the category planning manager, to define and implement a category strategy, incorporating current market tends and data to differentiate Pets at Home from its competitors

Customer centric trading strategies

• Develop and launch innovative ranges ensuring all key deadlines are met and activity lands right first time
• Create and implement customer focused, and effective promotional programmes
• Monitor retail price movements in the market and react accordingly
• Work closely with our customer loyalty team to gain insights and make customer driven decisions to help drive category growth
• Work alongside the online trading team to help create a seamless customer experience
• Responsible for own admin workload, within category

Maximise supplier income and profitability for PAH

• Build annual joint business plans with key suppliers
• Negotiate and agree annual supplier trading terms
• Manage long term own brand supplier partnerships delivering annual cost savings

Strategic cross functional involvement

• Develop effective and productive working relationships with cross functional teams such as supply, merchandising and marketing
• Actively engage with and support our retail teams to resolve issues and improve sales

Delivering a seamless omnichannel customer experience

• Working alongside the online trading team to help create a seamless customer experience across all our retail channels

Financial Accountability: (Budget Responsibility & Revenue Impact)

• Sales accountability of circa £10-20m per annum

Experience, Knowledge & Expertise – Essential

• You’ll have experience of working in a Buying team or associated function and be able to demonstrate your knowledge of managing key supplier relationships
• You may be a Junior Buyer already, or perhaps an experienced Buying Assistant ready to take that next step in your career
• Proven track record in delivering right first-time execution
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels within and outside the organisation
• Keen attention to detail
• PC literate

Experience, Knowledge & Expertise – Desirable

• Proficient on Microsoft Excel & PowerPoint
• Experience with data management systems, loading new lines, promotions and price changes
• Experience and an understanding of supplier trading terms