Job Requisition ID: 167858Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group's entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.Overview of the roleThe Retail Buyer coordinates, executes and manages the activities of a buying department, classification or key programs, depending on scope and complexity, and assists the Brand Manager in developing, executing and communicating a product strategy that meets or exceeds financial goals.What you will doOperations and Financial Product Assortment Management
Evaluate stock performance
Plan it with the Merch team, VM team , Ops team and store managers on weekly basis
Build a strong relationship with the suppliers
Conduct market studies to evaluate the prices and trends
Create a commercial calendar and align it with the marketing team and VM launching plan
Build strong relationship with the store team and conduct on weekly basis store calls and visits to get feedback from store and analyze accordingly
Navigate new channels of distribution that will be aligned with elevating the brand performance
Work closely with internal departments, such as finance, operation, VM, and BM to forecast demand, plan inventory levels, and ensure alignment of procurement activities with business needs.
Create and plan Exclusive collection for specific countries or channels
Asses and mitigate the risks we may have in supply chain and discuss it with the logistic team Participates in management review meetings of bottoms-up plans.
Provides support and compiles data for senior management line reviews.
Buying
Analyzes product trends and historical data at departmental and classification level.
Supports and compiles data as needed to aid in developing seasonal strategies, financial targets, and open-to-buy budgets.
Attends pre-season meetings between buying and planning.
Travels for markets and buys against open-to-buy and assortment plans
In-Season Management
Ensures the financial success of area by meeting or exceeding financial targets including sales, gross margin, gross margin return on investment, and turn goals.
Reviews weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual sales performance and marketplace information to identify sales trends and business opportunities.
Provides input and make recommendations to manager on changes to future product assortments and strategies based on in-season analysis and observations.
Provides input in sales forecast and open-to-buy discussions that review sales and inventory against financial goals, and recommend changes to future order quantities, deliveries, pricing or markdown strategies.
Develops expert knowledge of customer base by participating in local store visits, evaluates product execution and point of view, gets customer and store associate feedback, communicates to manager.
Participates in competitive analysis of both direct competitors and opinion leader stores for trend inspiration by shopping these stores.
Learns to evaluate product assortments, quality, pricing, merchandising strategies and business opportunities.
Communication
Develops effective relationships with partners in field organization, store operations, visual, warehouse, production, vendors, etc. to maximize opportunities and minimize risks and / or liabilities
Participates in weekly cross-functional meetings to share information on current business issues.
Works effectively as a member of a cross functional team by focusing on team objectives and clear communication
Staff Development
Provides training and feedback as needed to peers, Associate and Assistant Buyers through on the job training, behavioral feedback and modelling, coaching and identifying opportunities for formal training.
Works efficiently as a member of a cross-functional department team (Merchandising,
Planning, and Allocation) by focusing on team objectives and clear communication.
Collaborate closely with Store Managers and Assistant Store Managers to ensure smooth VM rollouts, minimizing operational disruptions while maintaining high presentation standards.
Required Skills to be successful
Good verbal & written communication skills, MS Office skills, Multi-Tasker
Knowledge of merchandise trends and their financial implications
Knowledge of basic merchandising, planning and the retail industry
Clear understanding of financial measurements and how to utilize them in voicing and making decisions
Effective listening, presentation, verbal and written communication skills
What equips you for the roleMinimum Qualification and KnowledgeEducation: Bachelor's degree graduate or equivalent preferredMinimum ExperienceMinimum of 3 years in buying & merchandising experience in a fashion brand with a proven track record for driving sales and profit results and training and developing a team of individuals.Behavioral Competencies
Highly organized, attention to detail
Problem Solving
Decision Making
Work under pressure
Strong management skills
Pro-active and flexible
Able to handle numerous tasks at one time and prioritize them effectively
Advanced skills in MS office PowerPoint presentation
Interpersonal skills ability to interact professionally with high level executives on regular basis.
Ability to work well with all levels of internal management and staff, as well as third party vendors
Ability to maintain high degree of confidentiality
We're here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.Before you click apply: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.