ASSISTANT BUYER - PURCHASING - ARTISAN BISCUITS - DERBYSHIRE
(2025-01)
Ensuring the bakery can operate efficiently by securing ingredients, packaging and consumables in good time, within budget and are compliant with business standards.
- Resourcing and negotiating cost prices for critical business purchases delivering savings where possible, reviewing current supplier performance and vetting new suppliers to ensure little disruption and best value for money.
- Sourcing ingredients for NPD team for own and private label projects that meet company ethos.
- Working closely with Planning, Technical and Production to prioritise actions to achieve business goals
- Ensuring inventory is in good health, raising any potential issues to relevant teams at earliest opportunity.
- Following and practicing company HACCP/TACCP polices to protect business from potential threats and vulnerabilities
JUNIOR BUYER - COVERINGS - TOPPS TILES - LEICESTER
(2022-01 - 2025-01)
Responsible for delivering NPD projects in coverings category contributing to overall business strategy.
- Supporting the Senior Buyers with implementing new products
- Working closely with suppliers to develop new products and ensure quality meets business expectations
- Reviewing sales performance and proposing actions to improve activity
- Working cross functionally to deliver new launches on time with the Merchandising, Marketing and Operations teams.
- Securing supplier funding for new launches and partnership support.
- Conducting competitor shops, presenting findings and opportunities.
PRODUCT MANAGER - FRAMES - VISION EXPRESS - NOTTINGHAM
(2017-01 - 2022-01)
From 2017-18 I was responsible for our private label optical frames and accessories category. This involved range management of 13 brands. From 2018 onwards, I was promoted and in charge of overseeing designer and luxury brands in optical frames managing 23 brands. My roles and responsibilities include (but not limited to):
- Range analysis - reviewing my brands and taking appropriate actions to ensure optimisation of assortment generating YOY growth for the category.
- Conducting all selections for my brands and attending all markets as per business needs.
- Maintain strong awareness of market trends and competitor activity in order to ensure uniqueness and newness on approach to buying.
- Working closely with the other Assistant Buyers to ensure there is point of difference and/or clear up-sell between brands across the full assortment.
- Working collaboratively with the Demand Planning team to plan and forecast sales.
- Project work – Tasked to revamp flagship store assortment which increased store sales by 14% and increased store revenue by £190k YOY.
- Shop-in-Shop management, working independently and cross functionally to execute tasks on time to ensure project goes live on time seamlessly.
- Working cross functionally with PR and Marketing to plan social media, online and in store activity.
PRODUCT ASSISTANT - VISION EXPRESS - NOTTINGHAM
(2016-02 - 2017-01)
- Supporting the team with buying days preparation with range analysis
- Trends and brands research
- Conducting online comp shop reports
- Setting up new lines in timely manner
- General clerical support to the Buying team
PRODUCTION INTERN - EMILIO DE LA MORENA - LONDON
(2014-01 - 2014-12)
- Assisted the head pattern cutter on the production floor with pattern cutting, altering patterns and drafting new patterns
- Prepared and organised fabrics, trims and spec packs ready for factories
- Assisted the creative director during design meetings and fittings
- Graphic design tasks
- Lookbook research
- Sourcing trims
STUDIO INTERN - BATSON - LONDON
(2013-01 - 2013-12)
- Working directly with the designer and owner of Batson (womenswear label)
- Primary responsibilities included pattern cutting and sewing
