Buyer - Backyard

Who We Are

At Academy Sports + Outdoors our vision is to be the best sports + outdoors retailer in the country — but what truly sets us apart is our people. We’re a passionate, purpose-driven team that’s as committed to each other as we are to our customers.

We’ve spent over 80 years building a culture that puts people first. We believe in creating opportunities for growth, fostering meaningful connections, and supporting every Team Member’s journey. What fuels us? Our belief in the power of fun.

Here, you won’t just help customers gear up for their next adventure — you’ll launch one of your own. Whether you're starting out or leveling up, Academy is a place where fun can’t lose!  

5+ years of Retail or Customer Service experience preferred

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field of study or equivalent years of related work experience required

• Able to maintain the customer perspective as a driving force behind business decisions/activities; implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs
• Good ability to analyze, articulate, and solve complex problems and concepts to make effective business decisions
• Strong ability to communicate information and ideas through a variety of media that engages and helps audience understand the message
• Ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
• Proficient at developing and using collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals
• Ability to effectively prioritize workload and the management of multiple categories in a fast paced, frequently changing environment while remaining detailed and organized
• Experience with providing timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem
• Ability to set high goals for personal and group accomplishment; using measurement methods to monitor progress toward goals; tenaciously working to meet or exceed goals while deriving satisfaction from that achievement and continuous improvement
• Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite; ability to learn retail management system software programs
• Acceptable level of hearing and vision to perform job duties

Regular attendance required

• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary
• Up to 15% of domestic and international travel, overnight stays as needed
• Lead the Category Management Team to drive sales, manage inventory, and achieve the financial goals of the department
• Manage the Open to Buy process and identify Key Performance Indicators
• Educate Assistant Buyers on analyzing, buying, inventory management, open-to-buy, imports, logistics, including additional areas as needed
• Complete assortment planning and product lifecycles Establish a negotiation strategy that includes pricing, vendor terms, and opportunity buys
• Stay abreast of market dynamics, competitive insights, and Academy store execution of strategic vision
• Maintain comprehensive category management knowledge including market, customer, and product
• Create and communicate a strategic vision for the department, including visual merchandising strategies
• Professionally develop, mentor, train, and manage the performance of Assistant Buyer(s)
• Responsible for vendor management, vendor allowance collections, and vendor strategy
• Analyze product performance to strategically markdown product, effectively visually merchandise the category, and drive sales through merchandising
• Collaborate with eCommerce Merchandiser to identify assortment, placement, promotions, and marketing strategies
• Analyze the supply chain process and make recommendations to meet customer demand
• Generate and leverage reports for effective decision making
• Collaborate to create financial plans that will align with organizational goals
• Partner with suppliers on product development, as well as the Global Sourcing department on private product label development, as needed
• Develop a thorough understanding of Academy policies, procedure, and safety rules

Duties may change; team member may be required to perform other duties as assigned

Equal Employment Opportunity

Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate with regard to employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by law.​