Senior Buyer

Role Purpose:

The purpose of the
Senior Buyer
role is to
execute the Wine & Liquor portfolio buying strategy
of the Shoprite Group through the planning, selection and procurement of a range of products within a specific category that results in the achievement of profitability goals and targets. The
Senior Buyer
directs all aspects of the buying process for a product category, creating a compelling assortment that meets financial targets and supports brand objectives. The role further ensures sales growth and increase in gross margins by considering market trends and customer demand in terms of price, quality and availability when making purchasing decisions. The Senior Buyer works collaboratively with suppliers, category, marketing and store operations teams to
execute the Wine & Liquor buying strategy
, ensuring a consistent customer experience and aligned execution of pricing, promotions, ranging, display and layout.

Role Description:

Product Ranging and Pricing

• Collaborate with category management and give input into category strategies.
• Evaluate market and competitor pricing and determine appropriate tactical pricing approach.
• Perform forecasting based on history and future planned sales to leverage ranging and pricing opportunities.
• Deliver accurate sales forecasts and projections by evaluating financial information, utilizing open to buy, trends and market changes to establish a buying plan that attains sales and margin goals.
• Ensure first place in the market by maintaining price competitiveness.
• Ensure a comprehensive coverage of categories through effective range rationalisation, aligned to brand strategy and logic.
• Build range plans, ensuring correct ratios are applied and cost prices negotiated to deliver favorable pricing and maximum gross profit.
• Develop merchandise assortments and strategies that drive company and departmental sales goals while ensuring customer needs are met.
• Maintain competitiveness in cost and selling prices.
• Base price objectives on knowledge of market prices, current trends and/or market leaders.
• Use a range of criteria to achieve a balanced assortment in line with sales forecast plan.
• Determine merchandising layout that is practical and reflective of consumer patterns.
• Execute planograms and assist with in-store merchandising.
• Execute price setting, pricing rules, price family structures and price recommendations as per the annual category plan.
• Prepare for and present product and merchandise analysis at assortment and business review meetings.

Sourcing, Negotiations and Inventory Management

• Align with the category strategy to formulate specific tactical approaches and short-midterm strategies to maximise sales, source and secure stock.
• Ensure stock is ordered at the right time and price.
• Analyse and proactively mitigate any potential risks associated with sourcing of products and supplier capacity.
• Negotiate favourable trading terms and promotional spend (co-op), actively cultivate, develop and maintain vendor relationships and partnerships to ensure vendor performance and first to market with new product launches.
• Negotiate exclusive offerings, terms, pricing, vendor funded markdowns and return-to-vendor agreements.
• Negotiate contracts, improve prices and terms of business with suppliers, and review opportunities for savings.
• Remain up to date with price movements and shortages and proactively advise the distribution centres.
• Identify and prompt appropriate action on slow moving and redundant stock.
• Maintain relationships with existing suppliers and source new suppliers for future product lines.
• Monitor stock quality and escalate discrepancies to suppliers and management.
• Maintain long and short supplier trading terms.
• Manages vendor performance to maximize profitability and achieve financial objectives including cooperative marketing, incentive and partnership plans.
• Lead supplier business reviews with key suppliers and business stakeholders.
• Follow up on purchase orders and provide sales and operations teams with feedback on expected time of stock receive dates.
• Place purchase orders and monitor status of open purchase orders to ensure on-time delivery of all materials, including timely resolution, communication and mitigation of future potential problems.
• Manage and resolve issues regarding PO to invoice discrepancies, returns and quality problems with suppliers.
• Review quotes, statements of work, contracts, and facilitate the requisition to PO process.

Category Performance and Reporting

• Regularly measure category performance based on Shoprite buying KPIs and keep the business updated and informed on financial performance versus market and plan.
• Participate in the budgeting process and ensure buying plans are executed within the established budget.
• Generate monthly reports for senior leadership teams.
• Process requisitions and purchase orders and update management on the status of orders.
• Manage financial indicators and all expenses.
• Regularly review performance indicators such as sales and discount levels.
• Conduct competitive and product analyses to monitor performance and opportunities to increase and expand selection across categories.
• Visits stores to evaluate merchandise mix, observe competition, weigh individual store needs and translate findings into executable product plans.

Relationship Management

• Collaborate with the Category Specialists on ranging, pricing, and promotions.
• Collaborate with suppliers and divisional teams to improve on sales, margin and relevant strategic objectives through product assortment, pricing, promotions, and product placement.
• Manage supplier performance by ensuring that service level agreements and promotional plans are adhered to and sales and volume targets met.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., senior management, marketing, suppliers, buyers, operations, private label, imports buying) to ensure alignment and execution of the category strategy and plan.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with vendors to ensure merchandise availability and promotion including exclusives, timely delivery of merchandise, cooperative marketing and markdown allowances.

Marketing, Promotions and Customer Insights

• Plan promotional events and execution while ensuring accuracy on details such as pricing and marketing signage.
• Timeously supply advertising and promotional information to marketing.
• Liaise with marketing, sales management, and space planning to maximise sales and promotions in stores.
• Analyse market and competitor research and trends to determine consumer demand and potential sales volumes.
• Use market intelligence data to inform product trends and introduction of new products.

People Management and Coaching

• Allocate work and set priorities for the team and manage and monitor performance, ensuring the team is equipped and enabled to deliver on their performance objectives.
• Coach team members to embed sound buying principles and commercial awareness and support with learning and development initiatives to enhance capability.
• Coach and mentor Trainee Buyers.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or Diplomain Business, Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, or a related field – (essential)
• +4 years' experience
  in a buying role, with demonstrable experience directing all aspects of the buying process for a product category in a large retail organisation – (essential).
• Proven experience with sourcing and supplier management along with complex vendor/ supplier negotiations – (essential).
• Solid understanding of supply chain concepts, processes and systems – (essential).
• Comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing a product's cost and selling prices – (essential).
• Strong knowledge of commercial and financial trade-offs in category sales – (essential).
• Understanding of the retail value chain and profitability drivers – (essential).
• Strong proficiency in MS Office 365 with advanced Excel skills – (essential).