Overview

Position Title: Buyer

Company: Sainsbury’s

Location: Bristol, UK

Job Description:

As a Buyer in General Merchandise, you will be responsible for translating and delivering the category strategy for your given product range/series helping to achieve profitable growth.

Responsibilities:

  • Design and implement a customer driven, strategic vision for product ranges in line with the category strategy with clearly defined and measurable initiatives
  • Working in partnership with Product Development and Global Sourcing teams to deliver the sourcing and selection strategy for a group of products
  • Using knowledge of markets and suppliers, inform the category budget and create and implement trading plans
  • Act as a coach by managing Assistant Buyers and Admin Assistants, regularly assessing individuals’ performance and giving feedback where appropriate
  • Manage pricing across category to achieve a competitive position without compromising profitability
  • Influence global brands on their product offer to build a credible curated customer proposition
  • Lead and develop strong supplier relationships to ensure we are front of mind in terms of product development
  • Review improved annual terms with full supply base to maximise group synergies
  • Deliver the own brand proposition through collaborative working with design, product development, merchandising and global sourcing teams to land product that differentiates us vs the market.
  • Work strategically with brands to secure exclusive, winning, and compelling promotions and events; allowing us to win with customers
  • Develop a compelling promotional plan for the category, working cross-functionally with the Marketing and Digital teams to create multichannel marketing
  • Monitor market trends, competitor activity, price positioning and stock availability and work in partnership with Merchandisers to react appropriately to maximise sales, profitability and market share
  • Conduct regular store visits and build relations with the retail team, gaining a commercial awareness of competitor and position and activity
  • Beyond own ranges, develop knowledge of wider category to support and where necessary, deputise for Senior Buyer
  • Ensure team activity is legal and compliant, and that any team members are trained to understand their obligations under competition law and ethical training

Requirements:

  • Commercial awareness and previous Buying experience, preferably within a Non-food Omni-channel environment
  • Knowledge of systems and processes in a complex multi-channel environment
  • Good degree of commercial acumen with a proven track record of commercial successes within this or other organisations
  • Knowledge and understanding of Legal, competition law, anti-bribery and corruption, Intellectual Property and TSI
  • Ability to analyse complex data from multiple sources to drive decisions and strategies
  • Proven track record of delivering results to targets as an individual and within a team
  • Financially astute understands how own business decisions can influence shareholder value, understand financial levers to drive product performance with category responsibility
  • Ability to work under pressure in a fast-moving dynamic retail environment
  • Ability to identify market trends and opportunities, at pace
  • Effective communicator, presenter, and team player with an ability to bring other with them to deliver the strategy
  • Experience of working with suppliers on a FOB & domestic basis
  • Demonstrate credibility with stakeholders, displaying a range of influencing styles
  • Acts as a change agent and embraces new ways of working and share best-practice
  • Focus on the customer and make decisions based on customer feedback

About Sainsbury's

As the UK’s second largest retailer, with over 1400 stores and a huge digital presence, we’re offering more online and in store than ever before. Smarter, greener, more affordable choices. And products that bring real joy.