Associate Buyer

The Associate Buyer is a developing merchandising leader who is ready to move beyond transactional buying support and begin developing Buyer-level ownership. This position partners closely with Buyers and Planning to support product selection, assortment strategy, pricing, inventory investment, and promotional decisions that achieve sales, margin, and turn goals. The Associate Buyer is expected to use strong analytical skills, product judgment, and customer insight to make recommendations and independently manage defined portions of the business as capability is demonstrated. This role provides meaningful preparation for broader Buyer-level responsibility, with advancement based on demonstrated performance, readiness, and business need.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the “Cavender’s Culture” and drive our Mission, Vision, and Values
• Partner with Buyers, Planning, Allocation, E-commerce, Marketing, and Store Operations to execute merchandising strategies and business priorities.
• Support seasonal and annual buying strategies, assortment plans, pricing, and promotional plans for assigned merchandise areas.
• Independently manage assigned brands, classifications, or portions of the assortment, including product selection, buy recommendations, performance analysis, inventory actions, and vendor follow‑up, within parameters established by the Buyer.
• Analyze sales, gross margin, sell-through, inventory turn, weeks of supply, AUR, IMU, markdowns, and open‑to‑buy to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Recommend actions to improve sales and inventory productivity, including receipt timing, replenishment, pricing, markdowns, assortment changes, and inventory levels.
• Develop assortment and buy recommendations by style, size, color, price point, store volume, and channel; validate quantities to financial and OTB plans.
• Lead selected vendor meetings, line reviews, and market appointments; make product recommendations and negotiate costs, terms, and allowances within established parameters.
• Monitor customer behavior, competitive activity, product trends, and market conditions and translate insights into product and assortment recommendations.
• Partner with Planning and Allocation to evaluate performance and position inventory to maximize sales, margin, and turn across stores and E-commerce.
• Conduct weekly and seasonal business reviews for assigned areas, identify performance drivers, and present clear recommendations and action plans to Merchandising leadership.
• Maintain strong execution and data accuracy across purchase orders, item information, pricing, and merchandising systems.
• Build the merchandising, financial, vendor-management, and leadership capabilities required for broader Buyer‑level responsibility.
• Deliver performance in assigned merchandise areas against sales, gross margin, sell-through, inventory turn, weeks of supply, markdown, and open‑to‑buy goals.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Retail Merchandising, Business, Finance, Supply Chain, Economics, Data Analytics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 4+ years of progressive experience in Buying, Merchandising, Planning, Allocation, retail analytics, or a closely related retail function.
• Demonstrated record of strong performance and increasing responsibility in buying, merchandising, planning, allocation, retail analytics, or a related retail function.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to interpret data, identify patterns, and make well‑supported business recommendations.
• Working knowledge of retail financial measurements, including sales, gross margin, IMU, AUR, sell‑through, inventory turn, markdowns, and open‑to‑buy.
• Strong Excel skills, including formulas, lookups, PivotTables, and the ability to organize and analyze large data sets.
• Strong product instincts, curiosity about the customer, and the ability to identify trends and business opportunities.
• Professional communication and presentation skills with the confidence to work with vendors and cross‑functional partners.
• High learning agility, initiative, accountability, and sound judgment; able to take on increasing scope and complexity over time.
• Ability to prioritize multiple deadlines and work effectively in a fast‑moving, team‑oriented environment.
• Based in Tyler, TX at our home office; Tyler area residence.
• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time.

Preferred Skills

• Progressive experience in specialty retail buying, merchandising, planning, allocation, or inventory management, preferably within apparel, footwear, accessories, or a related product business.
• Demonstrated record of leadership, initiative, and strong performance in prior merchandising assignments.
• Experience with E-commerce Buying or Omnichannel Merchandising.
• Exposure to retail planning, allocation, inventory management, or merchandising systems.
• Experience with Jesta, Business Objects, or similar merchandising/reporting platforms.
• Knowledge of the Western Wear industry or Cavender’s core customer.
• Interest in progressing into a Buyer role and taking on broader category ownership as performance and experience grow.

Cavender’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, military status, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other personal characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law.

Cavender’s will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with a disability upon request. If you have a disability and need assistance completing the application, please call Customer Service at View phone number on click.appcast.io or visit your nearest Cavender’s store.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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