The Category Buyer maintains a commercially balanced and evolving merchandise program; aims to achieve profitability and hastened merchandise movement through effective buying and inventory management.
Merchandise Planning and Buying
- Develop and manage the Open-to-Buy (OTB) plan, a critical financial budget that dictates inventory purchases, ensuring alignment with sales forecasts and inventory targets to maximize gross margin return on investment (GMROI).
- Execute strategic principal sourcing, identifying and establishing relationships with key suppliers and original brand manufacturers globally to secure the best cost, quality, and delivery terms.
- Spearhead the brand merchandising strategy by curating a commercially viable and trend-right product assortment that strengthens the brand's market position and achieves sales objectives.
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, and delivery schedules with vendors.
- Secures confirmation of orders and ensures the timely build of the Item Masterlist.
- Ensures necessary checks, documentation, and communication are performed in a timely manner to facilitate receiving of orders.
Inventory Management
- Prepares comprehensive sell-thru reports to monitor product performance, identifying fast and slow movers to inform in-season reorders and markdown strategies.
- Manages inventory levels across all points of sale to ensure optimal stock-to-sales ratio.
Monitoring and Assessment
- Prepares, updates, and analyzes merchandising reports for review, discussion with Merchandising Head/SBU Head, and implementation of action plans.
- Ensures timely and accurate payment to suppliers; reviews and processes pertinent financial documents (i.e., Remittance Advice, Request for Payments, etc.).
- Prepares merchandising memos (e.g., new arrivals, pricing updates) for internal communication.
- Coordinates with Account Executives on inquiries, orders, stocks, and reports relating to corporate orders.
Market Intelligence
- Builds on product knowledge and category expertise through familiarization with competitor and complement brands' product ranges, pricing, and positioning.
- Conducts regular store visits and validates the flow of merchandise strategy from back-end to front-end, recommending appropriate actions to improve visual merchandising and customer experience.
- Builds on customer, market, and competitor intelligence; establishing similarities and differences in doors per grading band, size, or area.
Integrating AI and Technology
- Lead the integration of AI tools into the buying workflow, leveraging predictive analytics for demand forecasting, optimal inventory allocation, and markdown strategy optimization.
- Utilize advanced data modeling to continuously refine the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process for greater accuracy and agility, minimizing stock-outs and excess inventory.
- Implement systems for automated vendor performance tracking and principal sourcing risk assessment.
Job Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, or any related course.
Qualifications
- At least 3 years of work experience in merchandising, inventory management, and retail business.
- With experience in open-to-buy (OTB).
- Willing to work full-time on a flexible on-site schedule in Malate, Manila.
