Outside The Box Recruitment is excited to be headhunting for the BUYING MANAGER of WOMENSWEAR.

Our client is based and designs a full womenswear, range in Australia. They have a large global presence and is known for their effortlessly wearable and timeless collections with 80% of the collections is sustainable.

This role is responsible for actively seeking out the newest trends across women’s fashion in line with the company’s strategy, ensuring that the product range remains relevant to their customers. The Buying Manager will be responsible for the link between design and production, ultimately to deliver a product range that follows brand vision.

Additional to the basic salary, is a working sponsorship, relocation package for the family and flight home once a year.

Reporting to: Buying Director, and responsible for Direct reports: 3 Buyers, 3 Junior Buyers,3 Buyers Assistant, 3 Buying Administrators

Liaison: Internal Stakeholders ▪ Buying ▪ Design ▪ Planning ▪ Visual Merchandising ▪ Ecommerce ▪ Marketing ▪ Senior Leadership Team ▪ Market Managers External Stakeholders ▪ Suppliers

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Key Responsibilities:

Trend Knowledge and Interpretation

• Ensure ‘Finger on pulse’ of emerging trend
• Analyse relevance of trends for the brand and plan action accordingly in collaboration with buying manager group and GM
• Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of the market, supplier base, competitors and customers’ requirements
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and awareness of competitors and external trends, identifying missed opportunities andtrends to potentialise sales and profit.
• Ensure the Buying team apply knowledge of the market, emerging trends and fabric innovations into product development
• Identify trends and opportunities across all areas of the business

Financial Accountability

• Ensure all department financial parameters and targets are achieved within your product areas
• Effective management of buying team to achieve financial parameters and targets set
• Business management – Respond to sales and market data to make commercial decisions to maximise sale opportunities andminimise potential future risks
• Trade your product areas, in collaboration with the planning manager & buyer , by optimising profit, maximising department potential through repeats, and minimising slow performance through promotion or mark-downs
• Awareness of stock flow, forward commitment and sales forecasts within your product areas – manage the team to minimise riskand maximise opportunity
• Generate new ideas to improve sales and profit performance for the business whilst reducing
• Drive product post season SWOT and forward strategy within the team
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of seasons lessons and formulate forward strategy in line with business objectives, ensuring that post seasonal strengths and weaknesses are assessed to enable future like for like growth
• Manage air vs sea mix of the business ensuring profit is preserved
• Have an understanding of the performance across the business and provide input with regards to opportunities and risks

Brand Development

• Provide strategic direction and input into the future development of your product areas
• In collaboration with the design manager manage the seasonal design direction for your product ranges
• Plan, enforce and assess key deadlines to buying teams with respect to the business priorities on a weekly basis
• Oversee product development & range selection for your product areas , to ensure consistency of the brand direction
• Direct buyers to ensure best possible fit, consistency of fit, quality of fabric, trim, make and finish, across your product areas
• Working at all areas of the business provide feedback on improving work processes

Range Building

• Mentor the Buyers in their commercial decisions throughout the product development process with respect to deliveringthe most commercially balanced range in the most profitable way
• Oversee the range building process for your product areas to ensure your product areas deliver innovation, speed to marketand calculated risks in new trends,
• Ensure final ranges offer the right mix of print, plain, colour and end use for the product areas
• Oversee range build prior to final review by GM Buying, GGM and CEO, ensuring a well-constructed balanced range which will deliver all agreed KPI’s – inc but not exclusive to margin, spend, markdown and stock turn.

• Identify key trend pieces to be used as part of the ‘featured’ product that encapsulates the trend and handwriting
• Ensure a clear and sensible price architecture across your product areas which drives maximum sales and profit for the business
• Ensure range build reflects climate needs according to agreed business timing
• Coordinate all areas of the buying process to ensure that stock is ordered and delivered on time
• Provide ongoing input and recommendations to the entire buying team with respect to all ranges, to ensure the company strategy is being translated across all departments

Team Management And Development

• Provide strong leadership and direction to the team
• Builds a strong team with a focus on succession planning
• Translate the vision into clear goals and objectives for direct reports and product teams
• Provide clear vision for the future and communication to the team
• Provide coaching and training suggestions for the team to management – to maximise their performance and development
• Encourage effective teamwork
• Anticipate and manage change, leading teams through the process
• Provide regular ongoing feedback in addition to probationary and annual performance reviews
• Offers advice and helps find solutions to the wide range of issues encountered by the team
• Motivates team – gives recognition and praise
• Deals with issues promptly and appropriately
• Shares knowledge and experience with all members of the buying team
• Build effective relationships with team, suppliers and key stakeholders across the business

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Ideal Candidate:

Qualifications

• Qualification in Fashion
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a Senior Buyer role or equivalent
• A proven track record of high performance within a fashion business

Skills & Experience

• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook and Word)
• Exceptional product knowledge and technical expertise within ladies fashion
• In depth knowledge of local and overseas fashion markets
• Strong financial and commercial business acumen
• Ability to coach, develop and lead a team

Behaviours & Attributes

• Excellent eye for detail and accuracy
• To lead by example and provide support and mentoring to all members of the buying team
• Ability to perform under pressure and work in a fast paced environment
• Excellent organisational skills
• Good problem-solving skills and ability
• Willingness to take initiative to resolve issues
• Ability to take responsibility and make commercial decisions
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with all stake holders
• Passionate and focused approach
• Effective planning and organisational skill
• Professional presentation skills

Additional to the salary is an extensive benefits package to ensure a smooth transition to Australia for you and your family

• Flights to Australia for you and your family
• Paid Sponsorship for the family
• Relocation
• Pension
• Holiday 34 days (inc BH)
• Discount 40%
• Bonus
• Etc……

To show interest please email CV’s to cv@otbrecruitment.com or call 07815939515 to discuss confidentially.

Due to the volume of applicants, only successful candidates will contacted.