Job title:              Buyer 

Reporting to:      Creative Director 

THE ROLE 

A new and exciting opportunity for a Buyer has arisen at UK fashion brand Sahara. As a long-standing, highly creative, independent fashion retail business with 15 own brand stores, a rapidly expanding online channel and a well-established wholesale business, the role is an excellent opportunity for someone to grow and expand on their previous commercial experience in a creative, hands-on environment.

The role is based at Sahara’s new, light filled HQ in Primrose Hill, London. The Buyer will work across all departments, connecting Design and Production with Merchandising and Marketing, incorporating range planning, detailed product analysis and price negotiation. The successful candidate will be excited to work as part of the creative team at the brand’s HQ and be free to visit existing suppliers in the UK and overseas to help source new suppliers worldwide. The buyer will work closely with the Merchandising team and third-party label buyers to refine Sahara’s product direction and focus Sahara’s unique appeal. 

Working alongside and reporting into the Creative Director, the Buyer will:

• Develop and select new product with the Design team to maximise company growth
• Create range plans with Head of Design and Merchandising for each collection
• Work alongside Head of Production to negotiate prices and protect margins
• Visit existing and new suppliers to select and develop product
• Analyse Product Sales with the Merchandise Team
• React to changes in customer demand and manage customer feedback
• Identify product strengths and weaknesses
• Manage critical path with the Head of Production
• Maintain a strong vision for brand potential with all stakeholders 
• Work alongside our Brand Director to develop and identify company brand identity 
• Work with the Wholesale team to identify and build national and international market

The buyer will lead the sampling range plan and develop processes alongside the Creative Director; carefully planning the brand’s identification to meet trade show deadlines and keeping within department budgets. 

The successful candidate will have a commercial but creative mindset, they must be able to relate to and identify with Sahara’s unique DNA and understand what defines Sahara a brand, the Buyer will take a lead alongside the Head of Design to carve the label’s future direction.

The Buyer will be highly analytical and numerate with a wealth of experience working in a relatable, premium priced retail fashion business. This person will make value-based decisions in both placing orders and management of supply chain. 

SKILLS

This person will be fully responsible to make valuable decisions and will: 

• Possess a strong understanding and experience in multi-channel retailing
• Be able to make hard decisions and work well under pressure
• Take a proactive approach to cost saving, with a business-like approach, and use tact and diplomacy when negotiating
• Enjoy dealing with people both on the phone and in person
• Be socially confident and enthusiastic to contribute to the Sahara working community
• Have brilliant business, planning and organisational skills
• Have experience in strategic, tactical development, sourcing and buying and marketing plans
• Be willing and able to travel, sometimes at short notice to Europe and India where required
• Be results driven, reliable, resilient and flexible, highly motivated and enthusiastic to drive the business forward.
• Have strong commercial acumen with a creative eye along with acute attention to detail
• Possess exceptional IT skills, particularly in MS Excel

We offer:

• a relaxed, non corporate working environment
• a great community of creative, passionately minded people
• a strong likelihood of making friends for life (the majority of our employees have!)
• a competitive salary
• a generous holiday allowance
• discretionary annual bonus
• access to exclusive perks and discounts via Perkbox
• a generous staff discount
• Organic fruit, great coffee and drinks every Friday afternoon

Sahara  is passionate about working with great people & building inspirational, creative teams. We spend a lot of time at work, so we know how important it is to enjoy your working day and we do so in beautiful offices with an abundance of natural light. We promote a friendly, non-corporate environment at our HQ; we are passionate and hard-working and enjoy socialising both in and out of the office and we are always looking for like-minded individuals to join us on our fun and creative journey.