Reports to: Product Director
Hours: Full Time, 9.00am – 5.30pm
Contract: Permanent
Location: Loughton, Essex (with Fridays working from home)
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING
As Footwear & Accessories Buyer, you'll own the buying strategy across all accessories categories, combining trend insight, customer understanding and commercial thinking to build exciting collections that enhance our ready-to-wear offer.
You'll work closely with Design, Merchandising, Technical, Production and Marketing to develop collections that elevate the Never Fully Dressed brand, increase average order value, and support our international growth ambitions.
This is a highly entrepreneurial role for someone who loves product, thrives on building new categories and enjoys working in a fast-moving environment where ideas quickly become reality.
YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
•Owning the buying strategy across Footwear & Accessories, ensuring alignment with business objectives and long-term growth plans
•Building commercially successful collections across footwear, handbags, jewellery, belts, scarves, hats and lifestyle accessories
•Identifying new product opportunities that support a complete head-to-toe Never Fully Dressed wardrobe
•Working alongside Design to develop trend-led, commercially balanced collections with a strong fashion point of view
•Driving category performance through detailed sales analysis, customer insight and seasonal trading reviews
•Managing the product lifecycle from concept through development, supplier selection, launch and in-season performance
•Developing strong supplier partnerships across footwear and accessories, sourcing new factories and manufacturers where appropriate
•Negotiating cost prices and managing margins in line with company targets
•Working closely with Merchandising to manage forecasting, stock levels and OTB
•Monitoring global fashion trends, competitor activity and emerging accessory categories to identify future opportunities
•Presenting seasonal buying strategies, range plans and trade performance to senior leadership
•Working closely with Ecommerce, Wholesale and Retail teams to ensure collections meet the needs of all sales channels
•Supporting the development of exclusive collaborations, capsule collections and licensing opportunities where appropriate
•Helping establish Never Fully Dressed as a destination for complete head-to-toe styling.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
•Significant experience buying Footwear and/or Accessories within a fashion retailer or contemporary fashion brand
•Strong commercial awareness with an excellent understanding of product performance and category growth
•A genuine passion for accessories and their role in building a complete fashion offer
•Proven experience developing successful collections across footwear, handbags, jewellery or related categories
•Excellent trend awareness and understanding of the premium contemporary fashion market
•Strong supplier network and experience managing international sourcing and product development
•Highly analytical with confidence interpreting sales data and reacting quickly to trade
•Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
•Strong understanding of margin management, costing and commercial planning
•Confident presenting strategies and product direction to senior stakeholders
•Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
•A collaborative team player who enjoys working cross-functionally
•An entrepreneurial mindset with the energy and ambition to build new product categories within a rapidly growing global business.