Assistant Buyer

Role Overview

Assistant Buyer at Apparel Group. The position assists in category planning, vendor coordination, and inventory monitoring to achieve gross margin goals and maintain a healthy sell-through rate of 60% or above.

Role Purpose

Support the buying function through category planning analysis, vendor coordination, and inventory oversight to drive margin performance and inventory health across the product range.

Key Responsibilities

Product Range & Strategy

• Assist in the development of brand strategy through research and analysis of target customers and market positioning.
• Support category planning activities by analyzing performance, trends, and sales potential.
• Contribute to the seasonal purchase strategy by leveraging reports and historical data shared by the planning and merchandising teams.
• Participate in store grading to align product assortments across diverse store types, such as premium versus value-focused locations.
• Assist in developing procurement strategies for seasonal sales using historical product performance.
• Support pricing decisions through competitive benchmarking and market intelligence.

Vendor Coordination

• Coordinate with principals and suppliers for procurement under the guidance of the Buyer.
• Support the Buyer in maintaining strong supplier relationships to ensure timely, cost-effective, and compliant deliveries.
• Follow up on supplier performance, delivery timelines, and contractual adherence.

Order Management

• Prepare and track procurement orders to ensure timely delivery in line with service level agreements and purchase plans.
• Monitor in-transit inventory to ensure smooth stock movement from supplier to warehouse.

Store Operations & Visual Merchandising

• Conduct store visits to monitor product displays and gather insights on product performance.
• Visit competitor stores for benchmarking and trend inspiration.
• Track stock levels and weeks of cover, raising alerts when stock adjustments are needed.
• Collaborate with store staff to collect feedback on customer preferences and product performance.

Market & Competition Awareness

• Stay updated on fashion trends and evolving customer preferences in local and international markets.
• Track competitor activities, product offerings, and pricing strategies to support informed buying decisions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 2 years of experience in retail or merchandising, preferably within a fashion or lifestyle brand.
• Bachelor's degree in Fashion, Retail Management, or a related field from a recognized institution.
• Understanding of product strategy, vendor coordination, range planning, and trend analysis.
• Familiarity with market research, sales data interpretation, and forecasting techniques.

Skills & Competencies

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Basic knowledge of ERP systems.