Footwear Buyer

**Footwear Buyer Decofurn**
**Department: Men's Footwear**

The position is for Men’s, pre-boys, boys, and youth footwear division
(The Hub, CB Stores, Taku, Topline)

We are recruiting for an experienced, innovative, dynamic **Footwear Buyer** with a keen interest in current trends, to assist with maximising sales for our Footwear
Buying Department by buying merchandise accurately to the approved budget plan.
The position will be office based, at Mount Edgecombe Durban and will require travel between South Africa and Botswana.

The purpose of the role includes managing briefs to suppliers with clarity of silhouette, colour and detail, product spec within the required product critical path to meet the on-time selling period, aligned to the company’s strategic objectives. You will be required to constantly manage a multi-season view (current, previous, and future), to deliver distinctive product value, at the best price to delight the customer’s store experience.

**Some of your key duty objectives will include**:

- Drive constant product availability for the customer profile, through accurate buying and aesthetic
- Ensure that products briefed to suppliers are comprehensive with clear specifications.
- Assess the production of the product once received as per the brief as well as maintain accuracy to the specifications (fit, form and function)
- Access the value equation of materials used, construction complexity vs cost relevance.
- Build supplier relationships that are in line with our business strategy.
- Understand lead times from all sources and understand the full business processes.
- Forecasting and sales management in line with operational planning, constant price benchmark and price analysis in line with the business strategy.
- In Season Trading: Turn on and off trends according to sales and current trends and develop a well-rounded understanding of the retail environment and market.
- Post Season Analysis: use the agreed attributes relevant to each category/subcategory and analyse relevant characteristics to create a forward strategy taking trends into account.
- Develop a working document strategy based on learnings from the post season, store grading understanding is required.
- REVIEWS: prep garments and information in line with the agreed strategy
- GENERAL: seek feedback on progress and level of understanding and performance, and constant communication with the team.

**Education**:

- NQF 5 Wholesale Retail Buying and Planning Learnership (12 months) or
- Completed Degree /Diploma in Fashion Retail / Design/ Clothing

Management (3 Years)

**Experience**:

- 5 years of footwear buying experience with a broad understanding of footwear contractions and materials (Prerequisite)

**Additional Requirements**:

- Must be prepared to travel between South Africa and Botswana.

**Key Competencies/ Soft Skills**
- Develop strategy
- Decision Making
- Data Analysis
- Change Management
- Task Management
- Relationship Management
- High Ethics
- Deadline Driven
- Process Management
- Stock Management
- Understanding of fabric and garment construction and finishes
- Ability to align costing for offshore and local garments
- Ability to manage the supply chain management of offshore and local garments.
- Numerically accurate

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Durban, KwaZulu-Natal: Reliably commute or willing to relocate with an employer-provided relocation package (required)

Application Question(s):

- Are you prepared to travel between South Africa and Botswana occasionally

**Experience**:

- footwear buying: 5 years (required)