Gemporia Craft is a group of TV shopping channels with a difference.
They include Sewing Street, HobbyMaker and JewelleryMaker, 3 inspirational brands with active and engaged audiences.
We are seeking an experienced Buyer or Category Manager to drive a customer focused commercial strategy, through the management of the product team.
You will be both creative and commercial in your approach, with a demonstrated ability to understand the market dynamics and consumer's needs.
It is essential that you have a drive to become the expert in your area as you will project manage product launches from concept to launch, briefing all content and creative.
We innovate in the industry with new product development and require 'hands-on' management of the team.
Education is at the heart of everything we do and we are on a mission to curate seamless, omnichannel customer experiences.
It is crucial that you have a drive to innovate and confidence in delivering vision.
PRINCIPAL JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES: o People Management: Manage, coach, and develop a team of buyers, product developers, merchandisers & guest demonstrators.
Ensure a high standard of team performance and cross team collaboration.
o Buying & Product Development: Be the expert in your area, understanding market dynamics, consumer preferences and strategic value for the business.
Drive innovation in the company and the industry, ensuring that we are market leaders in jewellery making education and developing new products that meet customer needs, price expectations and satisfy margin targets.
o Supplier Management: Source, develop and manage supplier relationships in the UK and FE.
Maintain a proactive approach in negotiating cost prices on close-out deals and upholding quality standards and shipping schedules.
o Drive Category Growth: Strategically review category performance to understand how each product group is trading and which levers can be pulled to continue to deliver profitable growth.
o Inventory Management: Develop exit strategies for slow moving stock.
o Budgeting: Prepare monthly purchasing budget and sales forecasts, allocating spends in reaction to sales performance and high-ticket launches planned.
o Cross Team Planning: Work closely with the sales manager to plan and deliver product launches and events through strategic planning, gaining buy-in from the sales and marketing teams.
Experience o 5+ years' experience within a commercial/buying role, preferably within a creative, customer focused retailer.
o Negotiation and influencing skills with a proven ability to lead, motivate and develop a cross functional team.
o Strong excel skills with experience analysing commercial performance data within a retail setting.
o Excellent communication skills – interpersonal, written and verbal.
o Long term goal setter – strategic in mind.
o Experience sourcing new suppliers and negotiating joint ventures with branded suppliers preferred.
o An interest in Jewellery Making products.
PLEASE STATE YOUR SALARY EXPECTATION WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
We are based in Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 9HF you must be able to commute to our location without having to relocate.