Buyer - Menswear Sports, Outdoors, Essentials and Swim

We are recruiting for a Buyer to lead our Menswear, Sports, Outdoors, Essentials and Swim category. 

You will proactively manage the development of the brand and product proposition ensuring the brand strategy for the categories are achieved across all channels, store, online & airports and operational models, Own Bought and Concession.

About the Role 

Our Buyer will lead the buying cycle across a vast product range – across Own Bought and Concession models. Reporting into the Buying Manager, you will lead your team to implement the strategy for the area.

Developing cross function relationships with internal teams, you will negotiate and plan all vendor shop fits, taking into consideration brand adjacencies and sales densities. You will also work with TSD on design, merchandise capacity and installation timings – as well as partnering from Marketing, Social Media, PR, Publishing and CRM on an effective customer communications strategy.

As Buyer for Menswear Sports, Outdoors, Essentials and Swim, your duties will also include:

• Planning and selecting product according to customer demand, trends, budget, and divisional strategy across channels and locations.
• Planning pop-ups and soft-shop concepts for brands.
• Negotiating terms with brands including trading terms, online terms, RTVs, marketing spend, delivery, exclusivity, etc.
• Conducting competitor shops, brand and industry research for store, online and airports.
• Working closely with Merchandising to forecast OTB at brand level as well as planning sales, stocks, margins and space densities for department at brand level.

About You 

You will be passionate about the Menswear category and used to working at pace within either a high volume, core stock category or a luxury fashion category. You will be well versed in the cycle for Branded Buying, with strong relationships across our internal teams as well as our brand partners. You will be able to demonstrate how you have, or how you would drive the success of a high volume business.

As this category is vast, with many moving parts, you will be detail orientated with impeccable organisational skills and inspire your team to have the same. The ideal candidate will understand the technicalities that come with our running, ski and golf offerings as well as the seasonality that comes with our trend led, fashion focused brands. You will pair your commercial acumen and understanding of the categories nuances to drive trade and boost the profile of the category, both in store and online. You will be able demonstrate impeccable taste levels as well as an ability to boost team morale in a fast paced environment.

You will also possess:

• Prior experience at Buyer or Assistant Buyer level.
• A natural tenacity.
• Excellent relationship building skills.
• An entrepreneurial mind.
• A strong work ethic and impeccable leadership capabilities.

This role requires both domestic and international travel for Buying Appointments, which you will be happy to do if successful.

About Us

Harrods is one of the world’s leading luxury department stores and we’re becoming a destination for top designers, and the most sought-after brands from around the globe. Our combined mission is to make visiting our iconic Knightsbridge store one of the world’s most inspiring shopping experiences.

Our Promise to You

Help us make the impossible possible for our customers and we’ll do something remarkable for you. As well as offering a friendly environment to inspire your best work, we provide abundant opportunities and support to build an exceptional career across the varied specialisms of our business. 

In return you’ll receive an excellent benefits package, including a company pension, eligibility for a competitive bonus, flexible working, 25 days’ holiday, and your birthday off, up to 33% in-store discount (including across our food hall and restaurants) and a season ticket loan.

Uniquely You

At Harrods we believe the personality and authenticity of our people sets us apart. We celebrate and invite applications from all cultures, backgrounds, tastes, and experiences and are proud of our culture where people from all walks of life can grow and thrive. What makes you unique makes us exceptional.

If you want to know more about our people and our culture, search #TogetherHarrods on LinkedIn, Facebook or follow us on Instagram @togetherharrods