Senior Buying Manager

**Senior Buying Manager**

**Cape Town**

**Strategy Development and Execution**
- Develop and execute seasonal product strategies in line with the company strategy
- Work closely with the Planning Manager to develop cohesive action plans to execute the brand strategy
- Evaluate strategic progress and pivot where necessary to achieve strategic objectives
- identify Key Macro and micro economic trends that will impact on the implementation of the buying strategy and plan accordingly.

**Product Development**
- Own and manage the product development cycle from range conceptualisation to design, pre-production sample approvals and bulk production approvals.
- Manage the range architecture and price tiering of seasonal ranges ensuring a credible and balanced assortment is on offer across store grids and online channels.
- Ensure relevant global trends are well represented in the range and aligned to customer preferences
- Ensure Authentic product execution in line with the brand ethos
- Deliver a clear value proposition in support of the brand positioning.
- Sign off product strategy at various review stages in the product development process

**KPI and Trade Management**
- Display a clear understanding of the business against weekly, monthly and seasonal sales performance to plan.
- Drive key action plans based on current performance to maximise sales, improve sales margin and minimize markdown.
- Drive an In-Season trade mentality in your buying team that displays agility and quick decision making to shift the outcome of sales.
- Manage key performance indicators including Sales, Sales Margin, Clearance and Stock Management

**Cross Functional Collaboration and Communication**
- Maintain a collaborative relationship with the planning, e
- commerce, marketing and store operations teams to ensure cohesive execution of product strategies
- Provide guidance and support to the marketing team on product launches, promotions and product initiatives

**Supplier Management**
- Forge strategic partnerships with key suppliers by aligning supply base to the business strategy
- Evaluate and manage supplier performance on a regular basis and identify potential risks within the supplier loading.
- Negotiate with suppliers to achieve margin targets and improve lead time efficiency
- Maintain strong relationships with existing vendors and explore opportunities for new partnerships
- Ensure Suppliers are compliant with the Group’s Social and Ethical requirements and contribute towards the brand’s sustainability strategy

**Team Leadership and Talent Management**
- Ensure that assigned team is effectively resourced, directed, motivated and developed to enable team members to reach their full potential.
- Drive and develop the performance of the team with a view to optimise delivery and achievement of objectives whilst effectively managing performance issues or concerns
- Ensure learning and development opportunities are available to the team.
- Cultivate a culture of high performance, accountability and continuous improvement within the team to optimise sales and deliver KPI’s.
- Mentor, Coach and develop the team to support their career development
- Manage various functions within the buying department including buying, design and quality assurance and ensuring alignment across these functions.

**Critical Path and Lead Time Management**
- Ensure buying critical path aligns to the merchandise cycle to deliver the on time launch of product.
- Evaluate buying process efficiency and evolve process accordingly to support faster and more accurate decision making
- Constantly identify opportunities to reduce lead times

**Project Management**
- Participate and align business projects to group strategic projects
- Implement and evolve key retail projects such as 3D, Sustainability and Quick Response

**Market Analysis**
- Conduct regular store and market visits to understand the competitor landscape and identify new opportunities for growth

**Qualifications and Experience**:

- A relevant tertiary qualification
- Minimum 3 years working experience at a management level, incl. people / team management
- Minimum 10 years relevant buying / merchandise experience is essential

**Skills**:

- Proven track record in building and maintaining strategic supplier relationships
- Proven track record and ability to drive a merchandise strategy by demonstrating innovative and creative thinking
- Ability to persuade and influence both internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to work well under pressure and deliver to aggressive deadlines, incl. problem solving
- Exceptional analytical ability to effectively evaluate and drive functional KPIs, incl. sales growth, PIS, CSOH, input
- and maintained margins, stock turn, clearance
- Strong written and verbal communication at all levels of organisation
- Proven leadership and People management ability

**Behaviours**:

- Applies market and business insights in order to drive organisational o