Senior Buyer Womenswear Knitwear

From Merchandising and Marketing - Product Development and Design, through to Supply Chain and Space Planning - our mission is to bring stylish wardrobe, home and beauty essentials to our customers via an easy, inspiring shopping experience online and in store that will delight them every time.

As we accelerate the transformation of our business to suit the changing needs of our customer, we need results-orientated colleagues that not only have a passion for our product, but a strong team working ethos, creativity and a healthy commercial aim to join us on our journey.

An exciting opportunity to manage the Knitwear department department leading a large team ranging from Junior Buyer to BAA. We are looking for an experienced Senior Buyer who loves product, has experience working in a fast-paced trading business and has a strong understanding of the Knitwear market to lead our second biggest department in Womenswear.

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
• Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
• 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
• One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you

What you’ll do

Your key accountabilities will include

• Promote & drive a clear understanding of M&S’ womenswear customer, ensuring the segments and demographics needs are understood and put at the heart of the product offer.
• Work with Design to interpret and adapt to market trends and direction, ensuring that the conceptual range developed is differentiating and targeted to the needs of the customer, driving a digital mind-set through clear leadership on the online product strategy.
• To analyse historical sales in line with trends and design direction to manage product mix parameters.
• Work closely with other buyers and technical, design, merchandising, marketing, channel teams inc International to review, influence and cohesively deliver both the global product strategy and ranges throughout the Buying process.
• Leading a trading culture across all levels; spotting opportunities, chasing into new products and working with Merchandising to ensure that failure is identified early and managed appropriately
• Work in collaboration with Sourcing Offices globally to develop appropriate supply routes.
• Provide leadership and direction to the buying team as well as Sourcing Office.
• Identify and develop talent within the team, benchmarking across peer group and promoting movement of people within the business

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include

• Working to at least Senior Buyer level in a fast-paced trading fashion retailer. Extensive own buy experience required in womenswear knitwear. Style focussed with a passion for fashion is a requirement.
• Technical Knowledge and proven track record of developing and trading highly commercial ranges that exceed sales / profit targets
• In-depth knowledge of cost price negotiations and global sourcing
• Understanding and delivery of the concepts of brand strategy
• Good understanding of global retail market place with the ability to identify relevant product trends
• Strong knowledge of materials used and understanding of material supply base
• Highly organised approach and commitment to closing and completing tasks. Managing ambiguity effectively – providing clear guidance and planning to teams at all times
• Ability to lead, coach and manage people to support development and drive success.
• Proactively agree to take on Buying Lead/ Head of Buying responsibilities where required
• A digital and global mind-set that supports the growth of international and online business

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.#LI-AP1#hybrid