Senior Buyer (Software & Communications)

Role overview:

Senior Buyer (Software & Communications)
London
Currys London Campus at Waterloo (LHO002)
Permanent
Full Time
Grade 5

At Currys we're united by one passion: to help everyone enjoy amazing technology.As the UK's best-known retailer of tech, we're proud of the service our customers receive - and it's all down to our team of 25,000 caring and committed colleagues. Working as one team, we learn and grow together, celebrating the big and small moments that make every day amazing.

Positioned within the commercial team, you will be right in the centre of a fast paced team, working hand in hand with the go to market team, building strong relationships with our supplier partners. As a Senior category buyer, you need to have extensive buying and management experience as you will be responsible for high turnover, complex categories leading a team of direct reports.

As a senior buyer you will be expected to support the development of the wider team ensuring we have a capable and committed team, who understand their role in delivering the company vision 'we help everyone enjoy amazing technology' and you will at times be expected to delegate for the head of category in meetings.

Looking after Print, Software, Storage, Office Supplies, and Imaging Essentials, you must be able to easily prioritise time demands across a large and varied supply base.

Role overview:

Key Responsibilities:

• Managing all category supplier relationships in line with our overall commercial supplier strategy and the category strategy
• Harness credible relationships with our suppliers and develop a sourcing strategy to both bring customers the best ranges, supported with availability but also to minimise our NET cost of goods
• Work with suppliers to develop a strong understanding of the future technology roadmap, enabling the category to adequately plan ahead for likely changes in customer trends and demand
• Negotiating product ranges - cost pricing, additional terms, exclusivity, distribution, stock availability
• Negotiating additional fixed and variable financial terms related to ranging, activity and performance - maximising EBIT across the category
• Pricing the product range in line with agreed category CPI targets
• Working with merchandising to ensure that we are forecasting at the right level to maximise sales and stock turn
• Provide and regularly review team members' objectives, priorities and performance via Personal Development Review and one to ones, supporting their professional and personal development, ensuring that the right talent plans are in place to support the talent pipeline for the business
• Joint ownership of trading the SIM Free category through all relevant channels. Writing the trading strategy, building and delivering sales, margin and market share budgets. The role also operates as conduit between suppliers and our Pay Monthly category team, to support in delivering their strategy and budgets

Skills and Knowledge:

• Substantial buying experience working within a FMCG/Fashion or Hard Goods fast paced retailer
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to manage all supplier partnerships at differing levels of seniority
• Customer champion with excellent commercial awareness and understanding of customer needs
• Working knowledge of SharePoint, Teams, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Management/leadership experience of more than 1 direct report

We know our people are the secret to our success. That's why we're always looking for ways to reward great work. Alongside 30 days of annual leave (including bank holiday entitlement) and a competitive pension scheme (for permanent colleagues), you'll find a host of benefits designed to work for you. They include:

• Holiday benefits - 25 days of annual leave (plus bank holiday entitlement)
• Private medical insurance
• Competitive pension scheme
• Access to discretionary company bonus scheme
• Life Assurance
• Hybrid working

Why join us:

Join our team and we'll be with you every step of the way, helping you develop the career you want with new opportunities, on-going training and skills for life.

Not only can you shape your own future, but you can help take charge of ours too. As the biggest recycler and repairer of tech in the UK, we're in a position to make a real impact on people and the planet.

Every voice has a space at our table and we're committed to making inclusion and diversity part of everything we do, including how we strengthen our workforce. We want to make sure you have a fair opportunity to show us your talents during our application process, so if you need any additional assistance with your application please email careers@currys.co.uk and we'll do our best to help.]]>