|
POSITION SUMMARY
Our Buyer Apprentice Program is designed to develop talented individuals with long-term potential into high-performing buyers and leaders within our Merchandising organization.
The Buyer Apprentice performs the operational aspects of the buying role and completes functions that contribute to the buying team's ability to achieve sales, gross margin, inventory, and turnover goals for assigned categories of merchandise while participating in an elite, six month development program to prepare for a POTENTIAL CAREER PATH as a Buyer.
This position reports directly to a Buyer or DMM. The Apprentice works closely with the buying and merchandising support team in the execution of product selection, assortment planning, vendor communication/negotiation, inventory productivity management, and marketing of specific lines/categories to significantly improve profitability and maximize shareholder value.
In addition to responsibilities within the assigned buying team, the Buyer Apprentice may be involved with additional assigned and ad hoc special projects to support initiatives in the assigned category area or the merchandising organization as a whole.
LOCATION
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
QUALIFICATIONS >>
- Bachelor's degree - preference given to business majors
- Strong academic performance
- 1-2 years retail work experience preferred
- Demonstrated leadership abilities
- Involvement in extracurricular activities
- Dedication to customer service
- Strong analytical skills / financial aptitude
- Strong organizational skills
- Permanent Employment Authorization/ U.S. Citizenship
RESPONSIBILITIES >>
- Financial Planning and Forecasting
- Generates weekly financial reports (sales, markdowns and receipt) and analyzes data to draw conclusions and provide recommendations to the team on opportunities to improve performance
- Provides input and participates in the business and line review meetings to evaluate sales, markdowns, receipts and best/worst sellers
- Working in tandem with the buyers and associate buyers to organize the presentation for business and line reviews and provide explanation of strategy and entry/exit plans
- Utilize analytical tools to determine and recommend the appropriate markdown strategy, (this includes timing and the price matrix). Presents the markdown cadence for approval and enters the plan in the system
- Generates reports to analyze item performance versus last year and competitors. Provides recommendations to the buyer for forecast estimates
- Product Selection and Assortment Planning
- Completes the new vendor setup by verifying and approving the required vendor documentation. Monitors and collects on the vendor allowance agreements for defects, markdowns, signage, etc
- Based on category, may manage item set up process. Liaison between Inventory Management and Vendors on accuracy of items and details
- Assists in the development, selection, and negotiation of product to include cost, subsidy and terms
- Performs analysis required to assist in the development of the buy plan
- Responds to store inquiries for merchandise by researching planograms, inventory allotments, store demographics, sales performance, etc. Recommends appropriate solutions and executes upon buyer approval
- Refines and optimizes planograms to deliver innovative and profitable approaches to merchandising product
- Actively maintains awareness of products, customer preferences, competitors to keep current on ways to better service customer in assigned categories
- Advertising
- Creates and manages the input of advertising plan: Coordination and setup of the ad program, proper setup and picturing of the item, obtains samples, communicates to the vendors, advertising team, and logistics team
>
- Approves advertising turns-ins and proofs photos and written copy
- Proofs point of sale signage and maintains integrity of quality of signage for ease of store execution level
- Determines amount of subsidies to be collected from vendors for advertising and ensures timely collection
- Analyzes advertising results to assist in future planning
- Monitors and maintains promotional performance and provides recommendations to Associate Buyers/Buyers based on analyzing and interpreting sales trends, reporting promotions by sales, gross margin by product/category and store to assist in future strategy and driving improved performance
- Inventory Productivity Management
- Establishes collaborative relationships with Inventory Management to ensure availability and the timely delivery of merchandise
- Determines product that needs to be marked down, builds a strategy, monitors performance of sell-thru during clearance cadence to determine timing of further reductions. Collects funding from vendors to offset margin loss
- For seasonal businesses, develops melt-down plan and monitors sell-thru to plan to determine actions that need to be taken: markdowns, etc
- Participates in the process of building and maintaining relationships with vendors and interacts with the vendor community while adhering to the company standards and codes of ethics
- Buyer Apprentice Program participation
- Documents category level activities around the buying life cycle to demonstrate competence in each area of responsibility
- Responsible for ad hoc projects that support merchandising strategic initiatives
- Provide analysis and feedback on current business and/or process improvements to various levels of management including: SVP, Merchandising, Chief Executive Officer, VP of Merchant Operations, SVP of HR
POTENTIAL CAREER PATH >>
Buyer Apprentice > Assistant Buyer > Associate Buyer > Buyer > Division Merchandise Manager
* Please review our staffing process to learn how to be considered for any of our college programs.
|
