West Elm - Who we are
Born in Brooklyn. At home in the world. west elm has been helping customers express their personal style at home since the launch of our first catalog in 2002. Our home base is nestled down under the Manhattan Bridge in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, right above our flagship store. We are a dynamic, fast-paced brand with an exciting growth strategy. We value imagination, diversity and giving people the opportunity to explore, grow and shape our future. We look for innovative, smart, and hard-working individuals who enjoy creative thinking and ingenuity. Help us carry out our mission of being a source of inspiration to our customers, creating a global community and tirelessly seeking ways to evolve our brand.

Associate Buyer Position Summary

The buying/merchandising team is responsible for developing and managing the right product assortment to drive sales, inventory, and profit objectives. The team operates as a central hub that interacts with nearly all cross-functional teams within the organization, but most closely partners with the design, sourcing, planning + distribution, visual, and marketing teams to develop and market the assortment for our stores, online and catalog. This role contributes directly to supporting initiatives that will ensure West Elm sustains long-term growth as a leader in specialty retail.

The Associate Buyer will develop business strategies and seasonal assortment plans to maximize the development of the brand, sales and profits for the department. You will be responsible for coordinating information across functions working closely with Design, Inventory Management, Sourcing, Production, Packaging and Visual to ensure the process is followed and timelines met. You will have the opportunity to attend and participate in design meetings while identifying opportunities and recommend new product or concepts for the department.

This is a hybrid role (4x a week in office) at our HQ in Brooklyn, NY.

Responsibilities

• Perform market analysis, competitive shop and analyze sales trends to keep abreast of current trends. Obtain feedback from stores to improve product and add to collections
• Identify emerging trends and develop business strategies outlining strengths, weaknesses, new opportunities and threats. Communicate annual and seasonal strategies to functional areas (Inventory, Design, Sourcing, Production, Packaging, Visual)
• Develop and recommend seasonal and core product mix for department or area
• Collaborate with Inventory Management to develop annual and seasonal financial plans
• Collaborate with Inventory Management to provide Sourcing and Production Management with purchase quantities, delivery dates, flow and exit strategies for initial cost and production negotiations for new programs
• Provide Inventory Management with final assortment plans (line lists), product details, target retails, estimated IMU, importance to overall assortment (big bets), flow to DC and floor plan location for developing purchase projections and buy plans
• For assigned area, approve final: Product collections from Design s recommendations, Order quantities form Inventory Management s recommendations, Costing and delivery dates from Sourcing and Production, Changes that affect production deadlines and plan objectives, Floor plan layouts from Visual, and Signage and in-store collateral
• Collaborate with Inventory Management and recommend adjustments (markdowns, delivery changes and quantity changes) to the plan to maximize sales, profits, budget (OTB) and to protect the brand. Determine contests and provide awards
• Correspond with functional areas. Resolves, handles and escalates difficult issues to Director/Buyer, Call Center and Stores
• Communicate pre-ticketing instructions to Sourcing and Production. Provide Inventory Management with pre-ticketing prices
• Develop the seasonal assortment plans (line lists) to define product requirements for Design
• Work with Inventory Management to provide Sourcing and Production Management with purchase quantities, delivery dates, flow and exit strategies for initial cost and production negotiations for new programs
• Provide Inventory Management with final assortment plans (line lists), product details, target retails, estimated IMU, importance to overall assortment (big bets) and floor plan location for developing purchase projections and buy plans. Update document and ensure accuracy
• Visit stores and contact field management to gather information on customer feedback and product issues
• Analyze market (domestic) and provide observations of market to Buyer for market analyses
• Identify and recommend new products or business opportunities
• Participate in the development of the annual and seasonal financial plans
• Assist Director/Buyer and Inventory Management with determining appropriate adjustments (markdowns, delivery charges and quantity changes) to the plan to maximize sales, profits, budget (OTB) and to protect the brand. Recommend contest ideas and coordinate awards and in-store collateral
• Handle escalated customer service issues
• Provide SKU information to Merchandising Operations for input

Criteria

• BA/BS in a similar or related field
• 3+ years in Merchandising
• Advanced retail math skills
• Advanced MS Excel skills; required to create pivot tables, advanced formulas, and functions such as vlookups
• Ability to perform work onsite in our Brooklyn, New York corporate office

Benefits

Once you are here, you can look forward to a wide variety of benefits designed to help you grow, personally and professionally, to keep you healthy, to prepare you for the unexpected, to care for your family and to build a secure future. Depending on your position and your location, here is a look at what you might be eligible for:

• A generous discount on all Williams Sonoma Inc. brands through multiple shopping channels
• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities
• Paid vacations, holidays and other time-off programs
• Health benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance; health and dependent care tax-free spending accounts; medical, family and bereavement leave; same-sex domestic partner benefits; short- and long-term disability programs; life and travel insurance; an employee assistance program
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health
• In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University
• Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities
• Location specific sample sales
• A business casual work environment
• San Francisco based bike share program
• Time off to volunteer
• Matching donations to qualifying nonprofit organizations
• Company-sponsored community involvement
• Various discounts on local businesses

The expected starting pay range for this position is $70,000 -$80,000. Applicable pay ranges may differ across markets. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to competitive pay, compensation may include a variety of other components like benefits, paid time off, merit, and bonus opportunities.

WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

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