Your responsibilities as Senior Buyer will include but not limited to:
1. Buying Strategy & Planning
- Develop seasonal and annual buying strategies aligned with business objectives and customer insights.
- Manage open-to-buy (OTB) plans, ensuring assortment efficiency, depth, and breadth.
- Identify white space opportunities and drive product innovation to enhance the USC brand mix.
2. Product & Range Selection
- Curate and select compelling assortments across apparel, footwear, and accessories within your assigned categories.
- Work closely with key brand partners and distributors to secure exclusives, SMUs, and first-to-market launches.
- Manage product lifecycle planning to maximize sell-through and minimize markdown exposure.
3. Supplier & Brand Management
- Build and maintain strong relationships with local and international brands.
- Negotiate cost prices, margin improvements, trading terms, and exclusivity opportunities.
- Collaborate on SMU (special make-up) and exclusive product opportunities to drive differentiation in the market.
4. Commercial & Performance Analysis
- Monitor weekly trade performance and stock health; and sell-through targets by category and brand.
- Prepare weekly/monthly performance reports with clear recommendations
- Analyze customer, market, and competitor data to identify growth opportunities and mitigate risks.
- Take proactive action on underperforming products through markdowns, transfers, or promotions
5. Cross-functional Collaboration
- Partner with Visual Merchandising, E-commerce, and Marketing to ensure alignment across channels.
- Work with Planning and Allocation teams to optimize distribution strategies and store grading.
- Work closely with Store Operations to understand customer feedback and regional needs.
6. Team Leadership
- Guide and mentor junior buyers or assistants, providing clear direction and development support.
- Lead seasonal buying Sell-In and market visits to source new brands and product innovations.