Job Description

Job Category: Buying
Degree Level: Bachelor's Degree
:
Objective:
This position is responsible for ensuring effective brand positioning through strategic product selection that aligns with the target customer profile, while achieving gross margin goals and maintaining a healthy sell-through rate of 60% or higher.
Key Responsibilities:
Product Range:

• Support the development of brand strategies by understanding customer profiles and market positioning
• Plan category assortments based on historical performance, market trends, and future potential
• Establish seasonal purchase strategies in collaboration with the planning team, using data-driven insights
• Grade stores by format and country to differentiate product mixes for high-end and value-driven locations
• Develop procurement strategies for seasonal sales, grounded in product performance history
• Create pricing plans using perceptual pricing and market benchmarking
• Coordinate direct procurement with brand principals

Order Management:

• Raise purchase orders in line with the buying plan to ensure on-time deliveries per SLAs
• Monitor in-transit inventory to ensure smooth supply chain movement from supplier to warehouse

Vendor Management:

• Establish and sustain long-term relationships with suppliers to ensure fair deals.
• Ensure on-time delivery of products and adhere to compliance with the contracts of purchase.

Store Management:

• Visit stores to ensure proper store display of product categories and to understand performing and non-performing goods
• Visit competitor stores to understand bench marking, and for inspiration
• Maintain weeks of cover, monitor stock levels, and plan purchases within budget
• Coach the store staff to gather product feedback and customer feedback on basic and key offerings ensuring growth and development

Competition Knowledge

• Stay up-to-date with local and global markets, as well as industry trends
• Be aware of competing brands and products' activities

Key KPIs:
Quantitative KPI

• Gross margin target
• Sell through target
• Exclusive and NOS Business
• Week of cover for particular category
• Stock Ageing and Stock Turn
• Trend/Buy presentation
• Product training

Qualitative KPI

• Understand market trend
• Able to grasp business requirement
• Influence brand to customize requirement

Desired Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion, Retail Management, or a related field from a recognized institute.
• 2-3 years of relevant retail buying experience.
• Proficient in MS Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong understanding of product strategy, vendor management, assortment planning, and trend analysis.
• Knowledge of market research, data analysis, and forecasting techniques.

About Us:
"Apparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate residing at the crossroads of the modern economy - Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Today, the Apparel Group caters to thousands of eager shoppers through its more than 1750+ stores and 75+ brands across all platforms employing 17,000 multicultural staff covering four continents.
Apparel group has carved its strong presence not only in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia but opened thriving gateways to market in India, South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Additionally, clear strategies are in place to enter emerging markets such as Hungary, Pakistan, Egypt and Philippines. Also, Apparel Group provides customers the experience of shopping from the comfort of their own home with ease and convenience via our E-Commerce site 6thStreet.com
Apparel Group Operates Brands from around the world, originating from USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia and include leading names in Fashion, Footwear & Lifestyle such as Tommy Hilfiger, Charles & Keith, Skechers, Aldo, Nine West, Aeropostale, Jamie's Italian to name a few and other key brands include Tim Hortons, Cold Stone Creamery, Inglot, Rituals etc..
The Apparel Group owes its amazing growth to the vision and guidance of its dynamic Chairman, Nilesh Ved, who has taken the company from strength to strength since its inception in the last two decades."

Skills Required