Footwear Buyer

Footwear Buyer | Established - Senior | Circa £55,000 + Benefits | Manchester

Fuel your passion for footwear in a fast-paced, brand-driven buying environment.

As a Branded Footwear Buyer, you'll be the driving force behind building and delivering compelling, commercial, and trend-led branded footwear ranges. You live and breathe footwear, understand the nuances of branded assortments, and know how to turn data into sell-out collections. From strategy to store floor, you're all about creating the perfect line-up for our customers-across all channels.

Planning & Strategy

• Lead the seasonal strategy for your category-collaborating closely with the Head of Buying and Trading Manager

• Present your vision to the Buying & Merchandising Director with confidence, aligning to our wider commercial goals

• Analyse seasonal performance and market trends to inform data-led, customer-first decisions

• Ensure ranges are tailored to store footprint, fascia, and channel needs, driving sell-through and limiting markdowns

• Understand the branded landscape: from positioning and pricing to product mix and target customer

• Use customer insight and trend forecasting to shape future range builds and category direction

• Collaborate with Merchandising to produce detailed seasonal sign-off packs with clear sales and margin targets

• Identify new commercial opportunities to grow market share and keep us ahead of the curve

Range Creation & Execution

• Curate standout, brand-led assortments that speak directly to our customer profiles

• Champion the critical path-ensuring range selections are delivered on time and with impact

• Attend buying appointments, trade shows and brand meetings with a clear plan and purpose

• Work with brands to develop exclusive or collaborative products that give us a point of difference

• Build seasonal "go-to-market" strategies across store and online

• Secure funding and support from brands to deliver meaningful marketing activations and in-store/online campaigns

• Feed into VM and space planning to ensure premium presentation of your range

• Partner with marketing teams to drive footfall and customer engagement with the right product, in the right place, at the right time

Trading & Performance

• Monitor weekly KPIs and performance metrics to flag risks and opportunities

• Drive in-season trading activity-including pricing, stock movement and marketing pushes

• Contribute to weekly trading meetings and write monthly reports to inform future decisions

• Work closely with Merchandising to ensure stock turns are optimised and profit is maximised

• Regularly visit stores to assess product performance, presentation and local opportunities

Partnerships & Commercial Negotiation

• Manage and build strong supplier relationships to drive value beyond just product

• Negotiate commercial terms-think payment terms, returns, marketing support and margin improvements

• Monitor supplier SLAs and ensure brand partners deliver against expectations

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead by example, promote collaboration across departments and champion a positive culture

• Coach and support junior team members through regular feedback and development planning

• Share best practices and contribute to a "right first time" mindset across the team

• Encourage innovation and learnings to shape smarter buying practices

• Proven experience in a branded buying role-footwear experience is a must

• Commercially sharp, with strong planning, negotiation and analytical skills

• Excellent brand awareness and understanding of customer behaviours and retail dynamics

• Confident communicator with previous budget and financial accountability

• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members is a bonus

• A passion for product and a genuine love for footwear trends, brands and innovation

BBBH33851