OverviewJoin to apply for the

Assistant Buyer

role at

River Island .

The Buying team at River Island play a key role in realising the commercial opportunities created by our unique designs across all of our channels. This is achieved though effective range planning, awareness of key commercial data and customer trends, excellent supplier relations and internal networks, and execution of the Buying Strategy to deliver sales and profit plans. The Assistant Buyer supports the Buyer with trading, booking, fitting, range building, negotiation and supplier management, whilst ensuring the BAA team manages the critical path smoothly.

Department:

Menswear

Location:

Head Office, Chelsea House

Responsibilities

Support weekly trading reviews, updating and providing information to the Buying team as needed

Ensure orders and invoices are accurately and efficiently processed by the BAAs, and new suppliers are onboarded

Effective sample management, including labelling, working with suppliers (including Home Production where relevant), maintaining the development tracker and ensuring the correct samples are available to support meetings

Supporting in fit meetings ensuring BAA has prepped accordingly and inputting in the session, deputising in fits where appropriate

Co-ordinating labelling and ticketing to a high standard

Monitor and review Critical Path, responding to escalations of risks to reduce delays, and maintaining as awareness of current lead times

Assist Buyer with cost negotiations and range building

Through a strong knowledge of competitors, key market trends, customers and channels, produce comp shops with recommendations, identifying opportunity and raising to buyer

Build a foundational understanding of sustainability and how it impacts the Buying choices that are made

Build a foundational understanding of compliance considerations and impact to the critical path management

Seek out and positively respond to opportunities to step up and present in trade and department meetings

Through a growing awareness of ethical trading practises, ensure that we partner well with our suppliers and behave in a consistently ethical way towards them

Manages the workload of the BAA with a thorough understanding of the BAA performance and escalating to Buyer where support is needed

Sets the direction and objectives for the BAA providing timely feedback and support to enable them to work to the best of their abilities

Work cross functionally with Core Merchandising team for effective ways of working and collaboratively with other internal teams (Ecommerce, Wholesale, Visual Merchandising)

Key experience required

Previous experience as an Assistant Buyer, or established Senior Buyer’s Admin Assistant is required

Experience in an omni-channel business is highly desirable

Job role competencies

Very good verbal and numerical reasoning skills

Intermediate MS Office skills

Computer literate and ability to learn new systems quickly

Highly organised and proactive, good prioritisation skills

Collaborative, with strong communication and interpersonal skills

Very good commercial and market awareness

Disciplined and conscientious, results oriented

Resilient and adaptable with the ability to multitask

Curious, continuous learning mindset

Coaching, mentoring mindset

Ability to present own views and assert own views

Takes initiative

Good presentation skills

A keen interest in Product and the River Island brand is a must

About UsWe’re a much-loved brand with an exciting future. Our Islanders are a diverse bunch of bright, talented people who love working together – and are proud of the work they do. Progression here can take you in all kinds of directions. This is what a career at River Island is like. And this is where yours starts.

This role is based at our Head Office in West London.

What we can offer you

Generous 50% staff discount so you can treat yourself to the latest products, and a bargain staff shop on site

Reducing Islanders everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more through Reward Gateway

A free onsite gym, subsidised restaurant and cafe to fill your needs. Various social events to socialise throughout the year

Flexible working is a given, on top of payday and summer early finish Fridays

Give as you earn scheme, a ‘Giver Island’ day each year and receive matched funding

Support with upskilling through on the job training and qualifications. A succession plan if you want to progress

A generous bonus scheme and private pension plan

25 days paid holiday, exclusive of Bank Holidays. With the added option to purchase additional holiday twice a year

Keeping You SafeAt River Island we are committed to the safeguarding of all of our employees regardless of age or job role. We will fulfil our obligation under the Prevent duty which seeks to stop extremism and extremist views from materialising in our business. We promote and encourage the belief in British Values- including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. To find out more, please visit www.gov.uk.

Our Island is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise. To find out more about this interview process, check out our hiring process below.

Seniority level: Entry level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Purchasing and Supply Chain

Industries: Retail

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