Position Summary

The Director of Buying will serve as both a strategic leader and hands‑on contributor within our merchandising organization. This role oversees the full product lifecycle-from high‑level seasonal strategies and margin planning to direct ownership of buys within key categories. You will guide a small team while maintaining responsibility for critical portions of the business, ensuring cohesive brand representation and delivering strong sales, margin, and inventory‑turn performance across channels.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Merchandising & Assortment Planning

• Develop and execute seasonal buying strategies that align with company financial goals, margin targets, and brand positioning.
• Oversee assortment architecture, ensuring balanced, profitable line plans tailored to consumer needs.

Hands‑On Buying & Category Ownership

• Operate as a "working manager," personally overseeing buys for designated categories from planning to final order placement.
• Recommend product assortments by delivery window, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across the buying calendar.

Business & Financial Management

• Lead the creation and review of daily, weekly, and monthly reporting across sales, inventory, and margin performance.
• Monitor assortment performance to maintain brand consistency and achieve turn, revenue, and profitability goals.

Consumer Insights & Market Awareness

• Maintain deep understanding of target consumer segments and competitive dynamics.
• Conduct market research and competitive reviews to identify opportunities and shape long‑term merchandising strategies.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Planning, Marketing, Design, and Retail teams to ensure cohesive storytelling and alignment from product creation through in‑store and online execution.
• Develop line sheets, merchandising guides, and tools to support visual teams and store execution.

Operational Management

• Lead seasonal "buy meetings," setting timelines and deliverables for the buying team.
• Establish and manage the buying calendar to keep all development, review, and ordering milestones on track.

Sales Partnership & Team Support

• Serve as a key resource for regional and store teams, providing product knowledge, merchandising direction, and strategic insights to elevate in‑store performance.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Fashion, or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of buying experience within a retail or wholesale environment, with demonstrated success leading teams or projects.
• Experience managing both store and e‑commerce assortments is required.
• Proven ability to lead while maintaining ownership of individual business responsibilities.

Technical & Industry Skills

• Advanced proficiency in retail math and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong understanding of product development, brand positioning, and competitive retail landscapes.
• Experience managing Open‑to‑Buy, margin plans, and inventory turn strategies.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic & Hands‑On Leader: Able to shift seamlessly between big‑picture decision‑making and detailed analytical work.
• Exceptional Communicator: Comfortable presenting to senior leadership while also coaching and developing junior staff.
• Data‑Driven Thinker: Skilled at interpreting sales insights and identifying trends to build profitable assortments.
• Highly Organized: Capable of managing multiple priorities while meeting deadlines across buying cycles.
• Proactive & Results‑Focused: Brings urgency, initiative, and creative problem‑solving to business challenges.