Category Buyer

Role Summary

• Drive and manage sales of assigned categories to achieve top line and bottom-line. Provide right product mix to ensure Home Centre achieves its desired market positioning
• Develop strategic buying plans for the assigned department/category
• Ensure smooth buying operations through vendor identification, evaluation and selection, in compliance with the contract principles to achieve the strategic and financial objectives of the concept

Responsibilities

• Buying Budget and Planning
• Category Merchandise Planning
• Category Design and Quality
• Vendor Management
• Order Management
• Vendor and Product Research
• People / Team Management

Key Job Responsibilities

Buying Budget and Planning

• Determine buying requirements and formulate buying plan and budget for the assigned department/category

• Align the buying plan to the overall department/category business plan and the merchandize strategy as laid down by the department/category manager

• Help meet the profit targets by ensuring timely procurement of the department/category Merchandise

• Pursue cost reduction measures through centralized bulk buying and/ or selecting appropriate vendor mix, scanning the environment for benchmarks and constantly improving the purchase process

Category Merchandise Planning

• Drive customer focused merchandise plans (pricing, promotion, assortment etc.) for the department to achieve sales and market share growth, and freeze associated plan with Merchandise Planning department

• Study trends from historical data around product category sales and market research to assist in the overall planning process

• Ensure adherence to financial plan in all key areas - sales, markdowns, margin & average inventory

Category Design and Quality

• Ensure optimum utilization of customer and market research information to guide department decisions on the introduction of new products, product assortment, shelf layout, promotion and pricing of products in the store

• Work with Quality to ensure that the merchandise procured and received meets the quality standards set by Home Centre

Vendor Management

• Develop an adequate vendor base for the concept through active scouting and negotiation / renegotiation

• Build and maintain relationships with vendors and suppliers and negotiate the best deals with them for procuring merchandise

• Maintain contact with vendors; update list of vendors for bidding purposes; attend product demonstrations, obtain samples and literature regarding potential products and vendor capabilities and confer with end users

• Identify, evaluate and select appropriate vendor mix to achieve business objectives

Order management

• Place orders based on the buying plan and ensure merchandise is delivered as per the plan based on the agreed service level agreement

• Implement financial and credit services agreement with the vendor that maximize profit and positively contribute to cash flow

• Track the merchandise transportation from supplier to landmark distribution center and ensure smooth flow of goods

• Follow the reverse logistics guidelines to send the faulty / damaged goods back to the vendor

Vendor and Product Research

• Identify and leverage alternate buying opportunities to source products and to ensure that company maintains its competitive edge by constant renegotiation • Ensure effective communication, collation and follow-up on various product requirements and findings obtained from the sales/store data

• Keep abreast of the latest trends in buying and discuss the same with the department/category Manager from time to time to assess realignment of existing processes

• Map competition prices / products and provide qualitative inputs to the business

• Gather information from Industry trade groups or through trade shows/market visits

People / Team Management

• Assign responsibilities and set expectations

• Give regular feedback to team

• Provide support and guide the team to deliver on the job