Buying Assistant Birmingham, England
Job description
Buying Assistant
Hybrid (Approx 1-2 days per week at our Support Centre)
About our culture
The Works is such a welcoming place to… well… work! Our atmosphere is supportive, friendly and inclusive. A second home-from-home where you can be your best and authentic you.
We’ve built an environment that’s busy, always moving, and full of energy. Yet we still make space to share must-watch TV recommendations and our favourite page-turners!
It’s the perfect place for people who know how to roll their sleeves up, get creative, and put their passion and imagination to work. If you’re the kind of person who is as ’crafty’, ‘caring’ and ‘can-do’ as we are, then this is the kind of culture for you.
About the role:
Are you passionate about retail and progressing your career in buying?
Then look no further because we are always on the lookout for talented individuals who want to start or develop their buying career.
You will be working in a fast-paced, rewarding environment with a dynamic & talented team. If we stock it, we buy it! We responsibly source and buy great quality products that allow us to give our customers the best offers, range, quality and price.
Some of the key responsibilities that you will undertake:
- Supporting your manager to manage supplier performance, identifying potential new suppliers and supporting them to build long term supplier relationships
- Conducting regular store & website visits and reviewing customer insights, trends and competitor activity, helping shape our future product and range requirements for our customers
- Report and analysis preparation for your manager
- Helping to build and source customer/market insight led ranges and product innovation
- Negotiating with suppliers to agree and deliver market leading buy/move/sell plans for your areas aligned to the customer plan & category strategy with support from your manager
- Supporting delivery of trade, promotions & events plan.
- Managing samples (incl. obtaining them from suppliers as well as storage, disposal and approval)
- Have responsibility for administrative duties and approvals, for samples, packaging and art work. Working with suppliers and quality teams to ensure product quality is achieved and maintained.
- Ensuring new products and suppliers are set up accurately and on time
- Maintaining your department’s systems and trackers, including new line set up, availability trackers, launch trackers and critical paths
- Working closely with merchandising to ensure sale opportunities maximised and products launch on time.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience:
- A passion for fast moving retail and able to multi task
- Influencing, stakeholder management & negotiation skills
- Able to analyse data
- Product Development/Sourcing experience is desirable but not essential
Our PERKS really are ‘The Works’
- 25% Colleague Discount!
Plus, exclusive Double Discount days
- MyWorks
Exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more!
- Can-Do Academy
Instant access to further training and development to help you grow with us and develop your career
- Wagestream
Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them
- Share Scheme
Become a shareholder and own your very own piece of The Works!
- 24/7 support for you and your family
Through our Employee Assistance Programme and Retail Trust Partnerships; Gain free counselling, will-writing
- Save As You Earn
Save directly from your salary
- Long Service Awards
Cash, gifts, or holiday rewards
- Recognition Awards
For outstanding service, customer feedback, excellent sales and more!
- + Loads more!
Holidays, Pension, Sick pay, Life assurance and optional charity giving
Our Purpose
To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play – making lives more fulfilled.
Our Values
We are Crafty | We are Caring | We are Can-do
A bit about The Works
We are working towards our ambition of becoming one of the most loved retailers in the UK and the go-to place for reading, learning, creativity and play. We believe in the importance of fun and fulfilment and taking time out to do the things you love.
With 525 stores nationwide and a strong multi-channel proposition, our mission is to offer a unique and enjoyable shopping experience, built on core principles of value, variety and quality.
We’re super proud to be certified as two star ‘Outstanding to work for’ via Best Companies for three years running and a Sunday Times 2020 Top 25 Best Big Companies to work for.
#LI-Hybrid
