Buyer - Consumer Electronics

At WHSmith, our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers. The ones that enable our growth. That’s why our International People team is passionate about creating an environment where people can be legally protected, compliant, and empowered to deliver their best work across our Rest of World (ROW) business.

As a Buyer, you will drive the commercial performance of your category across all our formats. This role will be managing a category with scale and complexity, so you will need to have previous relevant commercial experience. You will be the key decision maker with the autonomy to deliver your category strategy. This role would be suited to an experienced assistant or junior buyer with +3 years experience in a retail buying role.

What you will be doing:

• Delivering and tracking against the key commercial KPI’s of sales and profitability 
• Curating the optimum assortment for our customers that delivers on all our commercial targets 
• Generating a continuous pipeline of value creating initiatives to deliver sales and profitability 
• Being responsible for the category and trade plan that aligns to the overarching business plan 
• Negotiating with and managing the supplier base, including a clear supplier strategy and the ongoing maintenance/improvement of terms 
• Defining the pricing and promotional strategy for the category 
• Product/supplier sourcing & development in line with strategy
• Delivering projects and trials within your own area with cross functional engagement 
• Contributing to the annual budget building process
• The category is part of Consumer Electronics, specifically Tech Accessories (Power & Cables) and Hardware (Phones, Tablets & Wearables) working with the biggest brands in the market
• This role is responsible for the standalone InMotion stores across Ireland, Italy, Denmark & Sweden and WH Smith stores throughout Europe

What we are looking for:

• Previous junior buying/commercial experience
• Computer literate - experience using Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint)
• Great stakeholder management with the ability to communicate and influence effectively
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Strong commercial acumen
• Negotiation knowledge and skills
• Strong numeracy skills and ability to analyse data 
• Ability to demonstrate problem solving skills 
• Proactive and resourceful
• Great team player

How we reward our teams:

• Competitive salary
• Annual bonus based on company and personal performance
• Hybrid working model from home and in the office
• 24 days holiday, plus your birthday off, plus Bank Holidays, with an opportunity to buy extra holiday
• Finish at 4pm on a Friday
• Competitive pension contribution
• Staff discount card for stores and online