We are seeking a proactive and commercially minded Buyer to join our expanding furniture business.
Reporting directly to the Director, you will be responsible for the day-to-day coordination of supplier relationships, product development, and range management, ensuring our product offering remains commercially competitive and aligned with customer demand.
With a dedicated Merchandiser managing inventory and a Logistics team overseeing shipping, you’ll have the space to focus on product excellence and supplier relationships.
Key Responsibilities
- Critical Path & Supplier Management: Play a key role in coordinating the buying critical path. You will help monitor every stage of the product journey - from design to shipment - ensuring suppliers meet all deadlines and flagging any risks to the Director.
- Commercial Negotiation & Margins: Negotiate FOB and landed pricing, payment terms, and minimum order quantities (MOQs) with overseas suppliers to protect profit margins and drive commercial performance.
- Sample Ownership & Quality Control: Coordinate the sample process from end-to-end. You will request, track, and inspect samples against technical specifications, ensuring they meet our high standards before they reach the showroom floor.
- Technical Oversight (Packaging & Assembly): Carefully review assembly instructions for clarity and accuracy. You will also oversee packaging specifications to ensure goods are protected for transit, minimising the risk of damages.
- Creative & Marketing Liaison: Act as the bridge between Buying and Marketing. You will ensure products are "camera ready" for photoshoots, check technical product descriptions, and ensure the website launch for new ranges is seamless and accurate.
- Quality Feedback Loop: Work closely with the Customer Service and Warehouse teams to monitor returns data. You will identify recurring product issues and work directly with the Director and suppliers to implement production fixes.
- Market & Competitor Intelligence: Conduct regular competitor "shop" reports and price benchmarking. You will provide the Director with detailed analysis of market trends to ensure our range remains the most competitive in the UK.
- Sourcing & Trade Show Preparation: Assist in researching new factories and product categories. You will also manage the administrative preparation for international sourcing trips and trade shows, including range-performance reporting and itinerary planning.
Requirements
- Experience: 3+ years of experience within a retail buying office. Experience in furniture, big-ticket items, or home categories is highly preferable.
- Organisation: A natural organiser with the ability to track a high volume of moving parts - including samples, technical files, and strict deadlines - with precise attention to detail.
- Communication & Negotiation: Confident and professional communication style; proven ability to handle commercial negotiations and act as the primary point of contact for a global supplier base.
- Analytical & IT Skills: High proficiency in Microsoft Excel (data analysis and reporting) and the ability to quickly adapt to internal ERP/Buying systems.
- Reliability & Flexibility: Based at our Basildon HQ, Monday to Friday (5 days per week during probation), with scope to transition to a 4-day office / 1-day remote hybrid schedule upon successful completion of your probationary period. Requirements include occasional travel to our stores and warehouses, as well as attending international trade shows as needed (China, Vietnam, India & Europe).
What We Offer
- Competitive salary dependent on experience.
- Opportunity to play a pivotal role in a fast-scaling business, with long-term potential to step up to Buying Director.
- A collaborative and supportive team culture.
- Company Events
- Casual Dress
- Company Pension
- Employee Discount
How to Apply: Please send your CV to [email protected] FAO: Lloyd
Pay: £37,500.00-£50,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Have you worked within furniture, homeware, or a similar retail sector before? If yes, please specify.
- Have you used any buying, stock management, or ERP systems? If yes, which ones?
Experience:
- Buying : 1 year (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Basildon SS14
