Assistant Buyer jobs
Assistant Buyers provide support to Buyers, helping to develop ranges and identify pricing architecture, as well as highlighting new and improved product opportunities to maximise sales.
An Assistant Buyer will be expected to develop market understanding, including benchmarking tasks and competitor analyses.Specific areas of responsibility include overseeing samples, briefs to publications departments and copy checking. In this role there is opportunity for cross team working with the Merchandising department as well as the Marketing team, focusing on areas such as e-commerce.
An Assistant Buyer will deputise for the Buyer when necessary and prepare and attend briefing sessions with internal teams as well as compile data to required deadlines.
The skills required
You will be an ambitious and driven individual with commercial acumen and marketawareness. The ability to negotiate will be valued and, ideally, you will have experience of purchasing.
Organisational skills are key, as well as the capability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines. Highly numerate, IT literate and analytical, you will be someone who remains calm under pressure and be an adept communicator.
Flexibility is key as well as being self-driven, honest and capable of supporting the senior team. It’s important you are open to challenging accepted ways of buying, and continually strive to innovate. You will be confident in meeting environments and able to present reports to the senior team.
Assistant Buyer Jobs in the West Midlands
Comprising seven metropolitan boroughs - the city of Birmingham, the City of Coventry, Dudley, Solihull, Sandwell, Walsall and the City of Wolverhampton, the West Midlands is an English county with plenty of opportunities for those seeking Assistant Buyer vacancies.
Throughout history, the region has been known for its commerce and industry. During the Middle Ages, wool and cloth manufacture brought a significant amount of wealth to the West Midlands, particularly in Coventry.
By the 1700s, metalworking, small arms manufacture and mining were all important for the local economy, and this expanded to include bicycle building during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. In addition, two large banks - Lloyds and Midlands Bank (which later became HSBC) were both founded in the region during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Fast forward to today and the West Midlands is thriving. Birmingham, which vies with Manchester for the title of Britain's second city, has been called one of the best places in the country to have a business and it seems that big companies agree.
From finance and media, to manufacturing, engineering, tourism, retail and the service sector, there are many well-known organisations with headquarters or other large facilities in the region - including Cooks the Bakery, Marston's, Chubb Locks and Carillion.
Jaguar, Land Rover and MG cars are also manufactured in the West Midlands, along with London's iconic black taxis.
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Search for Assistant Buyer opportunities with Cast UK
As market leading recruitment specialists for professional level buying roles across the sectors, Cast UK is committed to building long-term relationships with our clients, enabling us to understand their business models and the roles they are recruiting.
We get to know the personalities and objectives of each candidate; understanding what motivates them, and the appropriate cultural fit for them. This attention to detail means that we are able to make excellent matches between applicants and employers, making placements that are lasting and mutually rewarding.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit an Assistant Buying role for your business or find you a job as an Assistant Buyer, contact one of our consultant team on 0161 825 0825
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