Job Specifications
Team Clothing, Home & Beauty
Store London Support Office
Location London, Greater London
Contract type Permanent
Position type Full Time
Salary Competitive + Benefits
Closing date: 6th May 2025
Intro
About the role
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Benefits
How to Apply
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How We Hire
Everyone is welcome at M&S. No exceptions. It’s your background, abilities and differences that make you, uniquely you. And when you’re part of M&S, that individuality has the potential to make waves.
About The Role
This section tells you all you need to know about the position and its responsibilities, outlining everything we hope to see in a successful candidate.
Summary
From Merchandising and Marketing - Product Development and Design, through to Supply Chain and Space Planning - our mission is to bring stylish wardrobe, home and beauty essentials to our customers via an easy, inspiring shopping experience online and in store that will delight them every time.
As we accelerate the transformation of our business to suit the changing needs of our customer, we need results-orientated colleagues that not only have a passion for our product, but a strong team working ethos, creativity and a healthy commercial aim to join us on our journey.
To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.
All the details
What’s In It For You
Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.
Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…
After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
To stay close to customers, we expect our support teams to come into the office three days a week. We think that learning comes from working alongside each other, and that spending time with our teams makes us more creative and connected. It also means we can solve problems as soon as they arise, build trust, and get closer to our colleagues.
What You’ll Do
As an Assistant Buyer Advanced on Womenswear Outerwear your key accountabilities will include
Support the Buyer by displaying a clear understanding of M&S’ customer, ensuring the segments and demographics needs are understood and put at the heart of the product offer developed
Support the Buyer working with Design to interpret and adapt to market trends and direction, ensuring that the conceptual range developed is differentiating and targeted to the needs of the customer
Work with the Buyer to analyse historical sales in line with trends and design direction to manage product mix parameters including price architecture, colour balance, shape and margin to deliver a highly commercial and balanced range
Promote and support the collaboration with Sourcing Offices globally to help develop appropriate supply routes enabling the Department to react to trade, as well as negotiating the best prices and lead times with supplier to achieve the gross margin buying target
To support the Buyer with the co-ordination and development of product Tech Packs, working with Design, Technology and Sourcing Offices to achieve better hit rates and taking accountability to ensure Tech Packs are delivered complete and on time to minimise sampling lead times
To work with the Buyer to manage the departmental critical path (including supporting approvals), providing guidance and direction to junior members of the Buying team as well as other participants in the buying and product development process. To own and drive the production critical path.
Manage BAAs to ensure efficient product & sample management across the buying floor in order to meet all H&S regulations. Support BAA training and development to help upskill teams.
To actively participate in coordinating and presenting the range for sign-off and effectively managing systemic elements of the buying process, ensuring the timely completion of relevant systemic approvals and processes
To demonstrate good knowledge of the Departmental finished goods and materials supply base and support processes to ensure M&S’ scale and buying power is fully leveraged
To work with Buyer in setting and delivering the strategy for the department
To develop strong working relationships with, and understanding of, external roles such as merchandising, technical, design as well as building networks across the wider structure
Who You Are
Your skills and experience will include
Experience working to at least Established Assistant Buyer level in a fashion retailer.
Experience in Womenswear & Outerwear
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate junior members of the team and communicate with Global Sourcing Offices and influence internal and external stakeholders
Experience of cost price negotiations and global sourcing
Critical Path Management
Highly organised and self-motivated, accustomed to leading by example and taking the initiative
Proactive in agreeing to take on Buyer responsibilities
Role model for BAAs and strong interpersonal skills, capable of managing vertically and laterally
Everyone’s welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more
conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting
opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.
We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at th...
About the Company
M&S Gift Cards help you build strong, lasting relationships with your customers or colleagues. They'll feel appreciated - and they'll remember that feeling.
M&S is synonymous with accessible luxury - we've been bringing joy to UK high streets for over 100 years. Harness the power of one of the UK's best-loved brands to reward your giftees in a thoughtful, impactful way.
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