Associate Buyer

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Buyer – Food & Gifts

Position Summary

The Senior Buyer – Food & Gifts is responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and managing a profitable assortment of food and gift merchandise. This role develops category strategies, negotiates with vendors, analyzes sales and inventory performance, and ensures products align with customer demand and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute buying strategies for food and gift categories.
• Source new products and manage vendor relationships.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and delivery terms.
• Analyze sales, inventory, and market trends to optimize product assortment and profitability.
• Forecast demand and manage inventory to maintain appropriate stock levels.
• Partner with merchandising, marketing, operations, and finance to support promotions and seasonal initiatives.
• Monitor supplier performance and ensure quality, regulatory, and delivery standards are met.
• Manage purchase orders, budgets, and category performance.
• Identify opportunities to improve margins, reduce costs, and drive sales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of buying experience, preferably in food, gift, specialty retail, or consumer products.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Experience with inventory planning, forecasting, and category management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and ERP or purchasing systems.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills.

Success Measures

• Sales and margin growth
• Inventory turnover and forecast accuracy
• Product availability
• Vendor performance
• Cost savings and profitability