• Job Description

  Req#: R-166727

  Posting End Date:

  January 26, 2025

  Join John Lewis or Waitrose today

  If you've ever stepped through the doors of a John Lewis or Waitrose shop, shopped online, or seen any of our adverts, you'll know there's something unique about us.

  That unique proposition is our Partners. As co-owners they have a say in our business and receive a share of the profits, so they put time and effort into making it work. Our Partners are the reason we're the success we are. They're our secret sauce; the opportunity for us to differentiate.

  Job Summary:

  Are you passionate about Apple products? Join John Lewis as a Buyer in our Technology team.
  
  You will be a highly experienced Buyer who uses their expert knowledge to plan and buy the best range for customers within your category. Your remit will be to deliver agreed KPIs including; sales, profit, stock, margin and achieving required customer metrics and hit rates. You will be an experienced negotiator adept at independently managing supplier relationships.
  
  Working with your merchandiser, you will analyse commercial input and market data from all channels to develop and bring to market, own brand and /or branded ranges, working alongside all relevant specialist functions to deliver a category assortment with a competitive pricing architecture & propositions. You will maximise opportunities as they arise and lead the in-season trading to potentialise the outcome for both customers and your category. You will be a People Manager of your category team’s Junior Buyer & Buying Assistants, creating the conditions for them to thrive, and balancing their focus and priorities as required.

  Job Description:

  • Salary range - £49,600 - £74,900

  • This position is a permanent contract

  • The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The Technology team aim for a minimum o f around 2 days a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings but again, are flexible on this.

  • This role is based at our Pimlico Head Office campus.
    

  Key responsibilities

  • Support the Buying Manager Category Lead L5 in creating conditions for all Partners to thrive and achieve their potential

  • Responsible for all commercial negotiations inclusive of marketing funds (Media Sales team responsible for implementation & briefing (on-site + agencies))

  • Speciality areas, will be responsible for additional activities within physical estate planning & asset sales

  • Support the Category Lead rather than Buying Manager L5 in building a category & propositional strategy.

  • Develop and buy market leading own brand and/or branded ranges, managing product lifecycle from launch to exit of product ranges.

  • Collaborate with specialist functions to plan and develop ranges.

  • Collaborate with specialist functions to develop a sourcing strategy for your product assortment, delivering category margin targets & ensuring your supply base complies with all CSR and legal requirements.

  • Collaborate with Merchandisers to prepare and share Standardised Range Plan, in line with critical path, to hand over to the Central Operations Team.

  • Alongside Merchandiser, sign off product ranges and branch grading with Buying Manager L5, and Head of Buying when required, using reporting from Product Operations.

  • Propose Balance To Achieve across commercial KPIs for the assortment each month in collaboration with the Merchandiser

  Essential skills/experience you’ll need

  • Retail Industry Experience: Proven extensive experience in the retail industry, with a focus on buying, category management, or product management within the designated category. Direct experience in buying practices,merchandising strategies, and supplier negotiations is helpful for this role.

  • Negotiation Skills: Good negotiation skills and experience in leading strategic commercial negotiations with suppliers and vendors to secure favourable terms and agreements, maximising value and profitability for the category.

  • Category Expertise: In-depth knowledge and expertise within the designated category, including an understanding of product trends, customer preferences, and industry dynamics. Direct experience in range planning, product assortment development, and brand management within the category is highly desirable.

  • Communication Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate ideas, negotiate agreements, and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
    

  Desirable skills/experience you may have

  • Apple product knowledge or experience

  #LI-HS1

  #LI-HYBRID

  
  Pay:

  £49,600.00 - £74,900.00 Annual

  
  Scheduled Weekly hours:

  35

  
  Worker Type:

  Permanent Partner

  
  Job Level:

  Partnership Level 6

  
  Hours of Work:

  35

  At the John Lewis Partnership, we embrace our differences. We want you to be you. Because, well, we know you're at your best when you're free to be yourself.

  Being a truly inclusive employer to us means creating an environment which celebrates your contribution, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion or belief. It's why we've set our own aim to become the UK’s most inclusive business - for our Partners (employees) and our customers.

  We firmly believe that our future success lies in diversity of thought from all Partners and it's integral in our mission to build a happier world. ? ?

  We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us. And, once you're a Partner, your differences will make all the difference.

  Find out more about D&I in the Partnership here.

  We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where it is possible to do so. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.

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• About the company

  Find a career with a difference when you join the John Lewis Partnership, the UK's largest employee-owned company. Apply today for jobs with John Lewis and Waitrose where you'll learn what it means to be a Partner, rather than an employee. Visit our ca...

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