Buyer - Garden, Home & Gift
12 months FTC with a view to make permanent
Hybrid - 2 days per week in the office (in Ferndown, Dorset)
Reporting to the Senior Product Manager
Job Purpose
Working cross-functionally with the Design, Marketing, Sales, Purchasing, Operations, Quality and ESG teams to deliver an industry leading range of products to our trade customers.
Through your excellent knowledge of our customer’s requirements, you’ll build both product ranges and services that provide us with a clear differentiation from any competitors and grow our sales, market share and brand strength. You’ll make sure we have the right products at the right time, using your influencing and negotiating skills to build relationships across our business.
Key Responsibilities
- Understand Burgon & Ball’s customer base. Use this knowledge to develop customer-centric new product ranges, in-line with Burgon & Ball’s NPD roadmap and critical path, to deliver on sales and margin targets for each financial year.
- Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of the consumer, Burgon & Ball's competitors, and trade requirements by category, to deliver a product offer that, in range and value, will give long term competitive advantage.
- Work closely with design and marketing to define the consumer, trade and commercial proposition for each new product project, to enable sign-off from the leadership team.
- Ensure sourcing is from suppliers operating ethically and sustainably. Drive for continual improvement in this area.
- Identify and drive additional range extensions to core categories, ensuring every customer mission is met within your ranges.
- Negotiate and secure promotional opportunities with suppliers in line with sales and profitability requirements.
- Working in collaboration with operations and purchasing, negotiate supplier contracts and trading terms for all new product projects they’re working on.
- Work closely with sales, purchasing and the operations team to ensure prompt delivery of merchandise and correct phasing of intake to meet sales demand.
- Review existing portfolio performance on a quarterly basis to identify performance trends and identify any issues. Work with other functions to make recommendations.
- Work with key internal stakeholders to communicate and manage product range changeover, discontinued lines and exit plans.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with the Venanpri sourcing teams and Burgon & Ball’s existing supplier base.
- Identify and develop new supplier opportunities in order to improve Burgon & Ball’s market position or further improve category profitability.
- Identify new product and supplier opportunities, involving overseas travel.
Key Skills/Experience
- A highly driven, experienced and confident negotiator with the ability to manage relationships with Burgon & Ball’s supply base.
- Proven experience within previous Buying positions, preferably within the consumer goods sector.
- A highly motivated individual, with excellent analytical and problem solving skills.
- A proven team player, with the ability to work cross-functionally within a business.
- Be able to communicate confidently & concisely to all levels within the business.
- Customer focused.
- Excellent commercial skills, resilience and the ability to plan and work to critical path.
- An interest in gardening/horticulture, not essential, but a plus!
