Experience with complex merchandise categories and high sales volumes.
Strong negotiation and marketing skills.
Excellent communication and organizational abilities.
Self-motivated with a willingness to learn all aspects of merchandising.
Team player focused on achieving common goals.
Responsibilities
Foster and maintain vendor relationships.
Define and execute merchandise strategy.
Develop joint merchandise plans with planners.
Identify and exploit sales and margin opportunities with analytics support.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve internal processes.
Conduct store visits for merchandise assessment and competitor analysis.
Travel to trade shows and vendor locations to build industry networks and source deals.
Create a collaborative team environment to enhance idea exchange and feedback.
Train and mentor assistant buyers and/or buyers as needed.
Full Job Description
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Fosters relationships with vendors. Negotiates deals with vendors. In instances when purchases are not made, maintains positive vendor relationships for future opportunities.
Defines the merchandise strategy, such as mix of close-out vs. non-closeout business.
Jointly with the planner, develops a merchandise plan to support the strategy and achieve stated sales, turn and margin goals.
Identifies opportunities to exploit sales and margin opportunities and partners with planner and merchandise analyst to develop execution tactics.
Collaborates with Planning, Allocation, Distribution and Transportation Services, and Field Management to understand and improve upon internal company processes.
Travels to stores to understand merchandise packaging and presentation requirements, customer requirements and customer trends. Shops competitor stores to assess direction of competition and understand competitive pricing structures.
Travels to trade shows and vendor locations to develop a network of contacts, to stay informed on industry and competitor direction, and to source deals.
Develops a collaborative team atmosphere through an open exchange of ideas and positive feedback between buyer, planner and allocation analyst team members.
Trains and mentors Assistant Buyers and/or Buyers, as requested.
Performs administrative tasks, as needed or requested.
Accountabilities: Achieve annual Sales Dollar, Margin Dollar and Inventory Turn targets for assigned product areas.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
College degree, preferred.
A minimum of five years of retail buying experience, preferred.
Experience in buying complex merchandise categories and categories with large sales volumes.
Excellent negotiation and marketing skills.
Excellent oral and written communication and organization skills.
Motivated and self-starter, willing to take on new challenges and learn every aspect of merchandising.
Able to work as part of a team to achieve common goals.
System capable in spreadsheet, word processing and data analysis tools.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
About Big Lots
Big Lots Stores, Inc. is an American retail company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with over 1,400 stores in 47 states.
