REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Report to: Head of Distribution
JOB SUMMARY
Responsible for managing the Product, Price, Place/Channel, and Promotion planning, selection, OTB calculations and purchasing, inventory planning and stock-on-hand management of the goods and merchandise that are sold into trade customers’ stores for all Distribution Brands. The role is responsible for all stocks from the point of new product introduction till sell-out or writeoff, including but not limited to maintaining a set stock holding quantity/value, using data to analyse the productivity of each SKU, managing the entire product life cycle, new product assortment/planning, competitor analysis, etc.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Responsibilities
- Ensuring that all Distribution brands’ product range/assortment, pricing, channel segmentation, promotion planning, execution, monitoring and post-analysis are managed for optimal sales revenue and profit
- Consistent & frequent updates of offline and online trends & movements, to be at the forefront of all consumer activities, browsing & purchase behaviour, related products/brands, opportunities, threats, etc.
- Work with Marketing, Sales, VM to ensure alignment of all buying & merchandising strategies across all brands, categories, channels
- Trade/market/competitor monitoring and analysis (Mothercare, trade customers’ stores, new channels and Competitors) regularly to proactively understand and execute product
Category Planning
- Set an annual budget & OTB for each brand, by category, SKU, key accounts, channels, etc.
- Deliver budgeted sales and margin targets at brand, class, category and SKU level
- Determine merchandise & brand gaps within each category, sourcing products to fill in gaps and opportunities in the market
Analytics
- Drive the GROW, MAINTAIN and DOWNTREND category designations to create bottom-up plans to meet total area financial targets by brand, SKU
- Manage total product life cycle by brand, category and SKU
Pricing
- Determine pricing strategy for category/ product that is to be maintained & is in line with market pricing integrity & movements whilst driving sales for trade customers
- The buyer is the primary owner of making sure that all brands and their SKUs are competitively priced in trade partners’ stores, and are in line with the market and competitors
- Ensure retail price changes and promotional prices are communicated and implemented in a timely manner for maximum returns
Promotion Planning & Markdowns
- Planning seasonal promotional range, and bundles to optimize profit and sales
- Maintaining inventory needs to support sales, brand & promotional strategies, reduce aging & dead stocks, and ensure best sellers are never OOS
- Margin management at the RRP pricing level and trade margins achieve budget Gross Profit and Gross Margin
- Execution and implementation of promotion in-store and with all trade partners in a timely and effective manner
- Work with Marketing to optimise opportunities to appeal & attract the trade customer as well as the end consumer
- Determine markdown strategies that ties to the planned budget
- Negotiating with the Principal for markdown support or returns/defects
Stock
- Monitor stock level and maintain a healthy inventory at all times
- Clearance and management of aging and discontinued stock and brands
- Management of slow-moving products and excess stock lines
- Constant analyses of stock to ensure immediate rectification of overstock or understock situations
- Allocation and replenishment of stock
- Manage defective stocks, communicate to principal and obtain compensation
Market
- Full understanding of market & brand positioning and competitor activities in all related categories, and market trends
- Updated with all market pricing movements of competitors, new products or brands, and movement of brands (entry & exit)
Vendor / Principal
- Attending principal brand or trade conferences as necessary and present all conference information to the team
- Liaise with the principal on merchandise range, training guides, product information details, retail and cost price fluctuations, overstock and understock issues, challenges and support required, opportunities and potential new product development within the brand
- Propose new brands or categories to fill in any gaps or opportunities in the total brand portfolio
- Prepare and provide reports and information required by all principals as and when required
- Maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products/ brands, providing feedback and comments for new product development opportunities
- Attending trade fairs to propose new product range or potential brands
- Develop promotional plans with key vendors
Key Result Areas
Product Selection/Assortment
Plan, source, and manage product assortment to meet budgeted sales targets and profit
Pricing & Promotion
Set competitive prices and execute promotions to drive & achieve sales revenue & profit
Stock Control
Maintain optimal stock levels and manage slow-moving items
Market Analysis
Track market trends, competitor pricing, and customer demand
Supplier Management
Negotiate with vendors for better pricing and product/brand support
Qualifications & Experience
- Diploma in a related field and at least 3 years of buying experience
- Resonates with core company values of ‘Nurture’, ‘Honour’ and ‘Unite’ with ‘Integrity’
- Demonstrates initiative, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, communication skills
- Demonstrates creativity, integrity, passion, and self-motivation
- Ability to make effective decisions, meet targets and work under pressure, and manage workload with little direction
- Has a commercial mindset, uses tact and diplomacy when negotiating
- Absorbs and assesses information quickly and accurately
- Enjoys dealing with people, whether by phone or in person
- Knowledge of key business drivers (e.g. pricing, promotion, assortment, margins)
- Knowledge of financial retail calculations – OTB, markdowns, margins, product life-cycle
- Great negotiation skills
- Well-versed in Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel. Good worksheet skills to generate structured reports and effective analysis
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Report to: Head of Distribution
JOB SUMMARY
Responsible for managing the Product, Price, Place/Channel, and Promotion planning, selection, OTB calculations and purchasing, inventory planning and stock-on-hand management of the goods and merchandise that are sold into trade customers’ stores for all Distribution Brands. The role is responsible for all stocks from the point of new product introduction till sell-out or writeoff, including but not limited to maintaining a set stock holding quantity/value, using data to analyse the productivity of each SKU, managing the entire product life cycle, new product assortment/planning, competitor analysis, etc.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Responsibilities
- Ensuring that all Distribution brands’ product range/assortment, pricing, channel segmentation, promotion planning, execution, monitoring and post-analysis are managed for optimal sales revenue and profit
- Consistent & frequent updates of offline and online trends & movements, to be at the forefront of all consumer activities, browsing & purchase behaviour, related products/brands, opportunities, threats, etc.
- Work with Marketing, Sales, VM to ensure alignment of all buying & merchandising strategies across all brands, categories, channels
- Trade/market/competitor monitoring and analysis (Mothercare, trade customers’ stores, new channels and Competitors) regularly to proactively understand and execute product
Category Planning
- Set an annual budget & OTB for each brand, by category, SKU, key accounts, channels, etc.
- Deliver budgeted sales and margin targets at brand, class, category and SKU level
- Determine merchandise & brand gaps within each category, sourcing products to fill in gaps and opportunities in the market
Analytics
- Drive the GROW, MAINTAIN and DOWNTREND category designations to create bottom-up plans to meet total area financial targets by brand, SKU
- Manage total product life cycle by brand, category and SKU
Pricing
- Determine pricing strategy for category/ product that is to be maintained & is in line with market pricing integrity & movements whilst driving sales for trade customers
- The buyer is the primary owner of making sure that all brands and their SKUs are competitively priced in trade partners’ stores, and are in line with the market and competitors
- Ensure retail price changes and promotional prices are communicated and implemented in a timely manner for maximum returns
Promotion Planning & Markdowns
- Planning seasonal promotional range, and bundles to optimize profit and sales
- Maintaining inventory needs to support sales, brand & promotional strategies, reduce aging & dead stocks, and ensure best sellers are never OOS
- Margin management at the RRP pricing level and trade margins achieve budget Gross Profit and Gross Margin
- Execution and implementation of promotion in-store and with all trade partners in a timely and effective manner
- Work with Marketing to optimise opportunities to appeal & attract the trade customer as well as the end consumer
- Determine markdown strategies that ties to the planned budget
- Negotiating with the Principal for markdown support or returns/defects
Stock
- Monitor stock level and maintain a healthy inventory at all times
- Clearance and management of aging and discontinued stock and brands
- Management of slow-moving products and excess stock lines
- Constant analyses of stock to ensure immediate rectification of overstock or understock situations
- Allocation and replenishment of stock
- Manage defective stocks, communicate to principal and obtain compensation
Market
- Full understanding of market & brand positioning and competitor activities in all related categories, and market trends
- Updated with all market pricing movements of competitors, new products or brands, and movement of brands (entry & exit)
Vendor / Principal
- Attending principal brand or trade conferences as necessary and present all conference information to the team
- Liaise with the principal on merchandise range, training guides, product information details, retail and cost price fluctuations, overstock and understock issues, challenges and support required, opportunities and potential new product development within the brand
- Propose new brands or categories to fill in any gaps or opportunities in the total brand portfolio
- Prepare and provide reports and information required by all principals as and when required
- Maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products/ brands, providing feedback and comments for new product development opportunities
- Attending trade fairs to propose new product range or potential brands
- Develop promotional plans with key vendors
Key Result Areas
Product Selection/Assortment
Plan, source, and manage product assortment to meet budgeted sales targets and profit
Pricing & Promotion
Set competitive prices and execute promotions to drive & achieve sales revenue & profit
Stock Control
Maintain optimal stock levels and manage slow-moving items
Market Analysis
Track market trends, competitor pricing, and customer demand
Supplier Management
Negotiate with vendors for better pricing and product/brand support
Qualifications & Experience
- Diploma in a related field and at least 3 years of buying experience
- Resonates with core company values of ‘Nurture’, ‘Honour’ and ‘Unite’ with ‘Integrity’
- Demonstrates initiative, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, communication skills
- Demonstrates creativity, integrity, passion, and self-motivation
- Ability to make effective decisions, meet targets and work under pressure, and manage workload with little direction
- Has a commercial mindset, uses tact and diplomacy when negotiating
- Absorbs and assesses information quickly and accurately
- Enjoys dealing with people, whether by phone or in person
- Knowledge of key business drivers (e.g. pricing, promotion, assortment, margins)
- Knowledge of financial retail calculations – OTB, markdowns, margins, product life-cycle
- Great negotiation skills
- Well-versed in Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel. Good worksheet skills to generate structured reports and effective analysis