Children's Buyer

Family-Owned Retail Chain | Full-Time | In-Office We are a family-owned retail company with a long-standing reputation for quality, service, and community connection. With multiple brick-and-mortar store locations, we are passionate about providing our customers with an unbeatable assortment of brand name clothing for everyone in the family. We are seeking an experienced and trend-savvy Children’s Clothing Buyer to lead merchandise selection and seasonal assortment planning across our retail stores. This role is ideal for someone who combines strong business instincts with analytical thinking, vendor relationship skills, and a deep understanding of the children’s apparel market. Position Summary The Children’s Clothing Buyer is responsible for planning, selecting, and managing merchandise assortments for infant, toddler, and children’s apparel categories. This role works closely with ownership, store leadership, and vendors to ensure our stores offer compelling, profitable, and customer-focused assortments that align with our brand identity and family-oriented values. Key Responsibilities Develop seasonal merchandise assortments for children’s apparel, accessories, and related categories Analyze sales trends, inventory performance, customer preferences, and market opportunities to make informed buying decisions Attend trade shows, vendor appointments, and market events to source new products and brands (some travel to the Atlanta Apparel Mart, trade shows in Greenville, SC, and trips to New York will be necessary) Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, negotiate pricing and terms, and manage order timelines Create balanced assortments by category, size, price point, and seasonality Collaborate with store managers and visual merchandising teams on product launches and floor presentations Monitor inventory levels, markdowns, replenishment needs, and open-to-buy plans Track competitor trends and identify emerging opportunities in children’s fashion and lifestyle retail Partner with ownership and leadership on merchandise strategy and annual planning Ensure products align with company standards for quality, value, and customer appeal Qualifications 5+ years of retail buying experience, preferably in children’s apparel, specialty retail, or fashion merchandising Strong understanding of retail math, inventory management, and sales analysis Excellent negotiation and vendor management skills Ability to identify trends while maintaining a commercially balanced assortment Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and retail inventory/buying systems Ability to travel periodically for markets and trade shows Collaborative, team-oriented mindset with strong communication skills Passion for children’s retail, customer service, and small business culture Preferred Qualifications Experience in a multi-store retail environment Familiarity with boutique or specialty children’s brands Visual merchandising or product styling experience Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management, Business, or related field What We Offer Opportunity to work directly with ownership and help shape the company’s merchandise vision Supportive, family-oriented work environment Competitive salary and benefits package Growth opportunities within a growing retail organization #J-18808-Ljbffr Spalding Hosiery Shoppe