Merchandise Buyer

Come join our VW Merchandising team!

Variety Wholesalers, Inc. is looking for business-minded, self-motivated professionals with a passion for merchandising and an eye for trends. You’ll need strong negotiation and relationship-building skills, and the ability to balance product, trend, and fashion with our customer’s needs in mind.

Essential Job Functions:

· Manage opportunistic buying responsibility (based on vendors or classifications) and accountability for sales and margin performance

· Analyze reports and figures

· Control Open to Buy, Inventory Levels, and Monthly deliveries in order to meet the company’s financial goals

· Manage assortments by category, review for balance, manage all aspects of the buying process, and adhere to strategic objectives of the category

· Contribute to the development of merchandising strategies utilizing historical data, competition, vendors, and trends for each season. Partner with the Planners to develop open-to-buy within an assortment that supports the strategy of stock positioning for key categories and classifications

· Manage production calendar deadlines with internal and external partners to ensure the timely delivery of product.

· Travel to buying markets

· Shop all competing and Variety Wholesalers, Inc. stores to identify opportunities, trends, and labels

Education: Bachelor’s degree preferably in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, or Business

Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of experience with buying

Knowledge/Skills:

• Strong market awareness and ability to assess customers and trends
• Strong analytical, financial, and negotiation skills
• Knowledge of retail planning and allocation
• Ability to build and maintain strong cross-functional partnerships
• Strong presentation and communication skills with the ability to interact at an executive level
• Strong Excel, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint skills

Benefits:

• 401(k) and 401(k) match
• Dental Insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance