Compensation
- Base pay starting between $75,000 - $90,000/yr
*The pay listed for this position may vary based on experience. Please note, compensation decisions are contingent on the facts and conditions for each job opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as, training and experience, the position's work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.
Please note salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Blain's Farm & Fleet position description for accurate pay range information.
Job Duties
The Buyer position is responsible for product selection, assortment planning, and securing the best overall program cost including terms, freight, and defective allowance to ensure corporate sales and profitability goals are met. Other duties include forecasting, inventory management, sales analysis and planning, vendor negotiations and relations, merchandising, marketing/advertising, communications, and special projects. This position reports directly to the DMM and is expected to work independently and form their own business decisions.
- Acts as the strategic leader of the business, responsible for gaining company alignment and support on brand driven and customer centric strategies and owning the outcomes of sales, margin, and inventory.
- Lead categories and be the primary decision-maker in terms of product assortment, pricing, forecasting, and merchandising strategies reflecting goals based on historic data, current trends, and future forecasts.
- Establish and maintain vendor partnerships. Schedule and participate in vendor meetings both on and off-site. Take a primary role in negotiating product costs, terms, and shipping/returns issues. Maintain communications with DMM regarding vendor performance.
- Directly collaborate with other organizational processes, such as merchandising, distribution center and stores to track shipments and floor purchase orders. Collaborate with internal business partners as appropriate to support goals, solve challenges and manage business.
- Reviews inventory regularly including merchandise orders. Maintains current data on sales and product trends to plan future purchases. Take an active role in seasonal presentation to upper management. Work with analysts to optimize inventory mix and levels.
- Search for close outs/special buys and identify and maximize key items via test strategies. Execute short-term buying plans based on open-to-buy dollars and long-term strategies.
- Design marketing/advertising placement and proof copy to ensure desired outcome. Plans special promotional events. Ensures ad merchandise arrives in store before ad dates and follow up with vendors and distribution centers to track ad prep and sales results.
- Make determinations on setting and approving product-pricing strategies to achieve specific margin objectives and executes exit-strategies on slow selling items and recommends appropriate markdowns.
- Partners across marketing channels to ensure that advertising positioning and communication strategy supports the sales goals of the business and brands.
- Establish and maintain budgets including financial planning, sales, inventory, turns and margins. Measure and report on category performance, KPI's, planning, forecasting, and objectives.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in related field is preferred
- 5 to 7 years of retail buying experience
- Possess a valid driver's license
- Proficiency with Microsoft Suite
- Strong problem-solving skills
